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The "outer planets" (gas giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) are more massive and spin faster than the inner planets. Although their distance from the Sun means they retained cold outer atmospheres, they would be larger even without these dense gaseous envelopes.

The outer planets do not have to move as rapidly in their orbits to counteract the Sun's gravity, as this decreases with the orbital distance. During planetary formation, the protostellar disc would have clumped at the appropriate distance for its velocity. Given this lower speed, and the greater distance traveled, the outer planets take much longer to orbit the Sun than Earth.

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Why do planets have different periods of revolution?

The planets are not all the same distance from the Sun, which determines how far they have to travel, and how fast they are moving. Planets farther from the Sun have much longer orbits and are not moving as quickly. So their period of revolution (year) is longer.


How are planets closest to the sun different from the planets that are farther away?

The planets that are closest to the sun get more heat than the ones more farther away. The four inner planets are dense and rocky. The four other planets have small solid cores surrounded by vast atmospheres. The four inner planets have one significant satellite among them (the moon), while each of the outer planets has many satellites. The four inner planets are small, while the outer planets are massive.


What planets have a longer revolutions?

The ones that are farther from the sun have longer revolutions.


What are the differences between the outer planets?

The outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are larger and mostly composed of gas, while the inner planets are smaller and rocky. The outer planets are also much colder, have more moons, and are located farther from the Sun compared to the inner planets. Additionally, the outer planets have ring systems, while the inner planets do not.


Why do planets orbit the sun longer than other planets do?

Planets that are farther from the sun have longer orbital periods due to the influence of gravity. The gravitational force between the sun and a planet decreases with distance, so planets farther out experience weaker gravitational pulls, resulting in slower orbital speeds. This explains why outer planets like Neptune have longer orbital periods compared to inner planets like Mercury.

Related Questions

Why do different planets have different length orbits?

Different planets have different length orbits because they are at varying distances from the sun. The farther a planet is from the sun, the longer it takes to complete an orbit. This is due to the gravitational pull of the sun, which affects the speed at which planets travel around it.


Why does the sun look different from other planets?

because it is farther or closer away.


Is Pluto closer to the sun?

Pluto is farther from the sun than any of the 8 major planets. There are other dwarf planets farther from the sun than Pluto though.


Why do planets complete their orbits at different time?

Planets complete their orbits at different times because they are at different distances from the Sun and travel at different speeds. This is due to Kepler's laws of planetary motion, where planets closer to the Sun have shorter orbital periods, while those farther away take longer to complete their orbits.


Why planets orbit the sun in different speeds?

Planets orbit the sun at different speeds because they are at varying distances from the sun. According to Kepler's laws of planetary motion, planets closer to the sun have faster orbital speeds, while those farther away have slower speeds. This is due to the gravitational force exerted by the sun, which is stronger on planets closer to it.


Can you differentiate the outer planets from the inner planets?

The inner planets, which are closest to the Sun, are:MercuryVenusEarthMarsThe outer planets, which are farther away from the sun are:JupiterSaturnUranusNeptune


Why do different planets have different orbit times around the sun?

Different planets have different orbit times around the sun because they are at varying distances from the sun. Planets that are closer to the sun, like Mercury, have shorter orbit times, while planets that are farther away, like Neptune, have longer orbit times due to the gravitational pull of the sun affecting their speed of revolution.


Are the planets moving farther from the sun over time?

No.


Are gas planets closest or farthest from the sun?

farther


Why do planets have different periods of revolution?

The planets are not all the same distance from the Sun, which determines how far they have to travel, and how fast they are moving. Planets farther from the Sun have much longer orbits and are not moving as quickly. So their period of revolution (year) is longer.


How are planets closest to the sun different from the planets that are farther away?

The planets that are closest to the sun get more heat than the ones more farther away. The four inner planets are dense and rocky. The four other planets have small solid cores surrounded by vast atmospheres. The four inner planets have one significant satellite among them (the moon), while each of the outer planets has many satellites. The four inner planets are small, while the outer planets are massive.


How are the planets closr to the sun different from those that are located farther from the sun?

Planets closer to the sun are typically smaller, rockier, and have higher temperatures due to their proximity to the sun. Planets farther from the sun are generally larger, colder, and composed mostly of gas and ice. Additionally, planets closer to the sun have shorter orbital periods and higher gravitational influences.