Question
As a planet draws away from the Sun and its orbit the force between the Sun and the planet
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The gravitational force between the Sun and a planet is determined by Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that the force of attraction \( F \) between two masses \( m_1 \) and \( m_2 \) separated by a distance \( r \) is given by the formula:
\[
F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}
\]
where \( G \) is the gravitational constant.
As a planet moves away from the Sun in its orbit, the distance \( r \) between the planet and the Sun increases. According to the formula, as \( r \) increases, the gravitational force \( F \) decreases because \( F \) is inversely proportional to the square of the distance:
\[
F \propto \frac{1}{r^2}
\]
Therefore, as the planet draws away from the Sun, the gravitational force between the Sun and the planet decreases. This reduction in force affects the planet's orbital speed and can influence its path if the changes in distance are significant over time.
\[
F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}
\]
where \( G \) is the gravitational constant.
As a planet moves away from the Sun in its orbit, the distance \( r \) between the planet and the Sun increases. According to the formula, as \( r \) increases, the gravitational force \( F \) decreases because \( F \) is inversely proportional to the square of the distance:
\[
F \propto \frac{1}{r^2}
\]
Therefore, as the planet draws away from the Sun, the gravitational force between the Sun and the planet decreases. This reduction in force affects the planet's orbital speed and can influence its path if the changes in distance are significant over time.