Question

Kepler’s Third Law of Orbital Motion states that you can approximate the period P (in Earth years) it takes a planet to complete one orbit of the sun using the function , P=d^3/2 where d is the distance (in astronomical units, AU) from the planet to the sun. How many Earth years would it take for a planet that is  6.76 AU from the sun?

 

 

A. 15.23

B. 154.46

C. 3.58

D. 17.58

 

Answer 1

Calculate the earth years by using Kepler’s Third Law of Orbital Motion

P=d^3/2

Here d is the distance (in astronomical units, AU) from the planet to the sun.

Substitute 6.76 AU for d in above equation

P=6.76^3/2

  =17.576 years

  =17.58 years (Approx)

Therefore,option d is correct