Question

Why does the speed of a planet decrease as it moves away from the sun?(1 point) Responses The direction of the sun’s pull relative to the planet’s motion changes. The direction of the sun’s pull relative to the planet’s motion changes. The planet’s inertia begins to point backward along its orbit. The planet’s inertia begins to point backward along its orbit. The sun’s gravitational pull on the sun decreases. The sun’s gravitational pull on the sun decreases. The planet’s inertia begins to point inward toward the sun.

Answer 1

The correct response is: The direction of the sun’s pull relative to the planet’s motion changes.

As a planet moves farther from the Sun, the gravitational pull from the Sun still acts on the planet, but the angle at which this pull affects the planet's motion changes. This can result in a decrease in the planet's orbital speed as it moves along its elliptical path, particularly when it is farther from the Sun according to Kepler's laws of planetary motion. In simple terms, the gravitational force continues to act, but the components of this force that influence the planet's speed vary based on its position in the orbit.