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the closer you are to the sun it affects the planets speed cause of the suns gravitational pull

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Q: How does a planets distance from the sun affect the planets orbit speed?
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How does a planets distance from the sun affect its orbit speed?

Since the gravitational effect of the Sun decreases with distance from it, the planets farther from the Sun do not have to move as rapidly to remain in orbit. (In fact, the speed is what establishes the orbit, not the other way around.) So the outer planets, in addition to having much farther to travel in their orbits, are also moving more slowly. This combination means that outer planets take very much longer to orbit the Sun than do the inner planets such as Earth. By comparison, the length of time it takes (in Earth years) for each of the outer planets to make one complete revolution around the Sun: Jupiter - 11.9 Earth years Saturn - 29.5 Earth years Uranus - 84 Earth years Neptune - 165 Earth years


How does the mass of a planet relate to its distance from the sun?

There is no necessary connection between mass and distance. The mass of a planet does not affect its orbital speed, for example. However the "giant planets" are further from the Sun than the less massive "terrestrial planets". The outer (more massive planets) contain a lot of gases. So, they would surely lose a lot of their mass if they were nearer the Sun. (In fact, we have found planets called "hot Jupiters" orbiting other stars. These are Jupiter type planets, but they orbit very close to their star.)


How is the speed of a planet related to its distance from the sun?

The speed of a planet varies with the distance from the Sun according to Kepler's Third Law, so that the planets closer to the Sun have higher orbital velocities. Since the gravitational effect of the Sun decreases with distance from it, the planets farther from the Sun do not have to move as rapidly to remain in orbit. (In fact, the speed is what establishes the orbit, not the other way around.) So the outer planets, in addition to having much farther to travel in their orbits, are also moving more slowly. This combination means that outer planets take very much longer to orbit the Sun than do the inner planets such as Earth. By comparison, the length of time it takes (in Earth years) for each of the outer planets to make one complete revolution around the Sun: Jupiter - 11.9 Earth years Saturn - 29.5 Earth years Uranus - 84 Earth years Neptune - 165 Earth years


Do planets travel at the same speed as they orbit the sun?

No. The the planets closest to the sun orbit the fastest. Mercury, the first planet from the sun orbits at about 107,000 mph. Earth orbits at about 65,000 mph, and Neptune, the farthest planet, orbits at about 12,000 mph.


How are all of the planets kept in orbit around the sun?

all the planets stay in orbit around the sun because of the sun's gravitational pull. The high orbital speed that keeps the planets from falling all the way into the sun and since there is no friction in the vacuum of space , that speed dosen't slow down.

Related questions

How is a planets distance from the sun affects its velocity?

The farther a planet is from the sun the slower its orbit speed.


Why are the planets going in different speed?

The speed that an object travels in its orbit depends on its distance from the sun. That's how gravity works.


How does the suns gravitational pull affect the speed which the planets orbit?

When the pull is stronger, they move quicker.


How does the suns gravitational pull affect the speed at which planets orbit?

When the pull is stronger, they move quicker.


Which planet moves the most slowly in its orbit?

Of the major planets, Neptune. The speed of planets in their orbits is directly related to their distance from the sun. The farther a planet is from the Sun, the slower its orbital speed.


How does a planets distance from the sun affect its orbit speed?

Since the gravitational effect of the Sun decreases with distance from it, the planets farther from the Sun do not have to move as rapidly to remain in orbit. (In fact, the speed is what establishes the orbit, not the other way around.) So the outer planets, in addition to having much farther to travel in their orbits, are also moving more slowly. This combination means that outer planets take very much longer to orbit the Sun than do the inner planets such as Earth. By comparison, the length of time it takes (in Earth years) for each of the outer planets to make one complete revolution around the Sun: Jupiter - 11.9 Earth years Saturn - 29.5 Earth years Uranus - 84 Earth years Neptune - 165 Earth years


Where in our solar system are the planets which orbit fastest?

The closer planets are to the Sun the faster their orbit speed


Why does a planets distance from the sun change?

To be in a perfect orbit around the Sun, maintaining always the same distance, at a specific distance a planet would need a very specific speed. Since it is unlikely that it just happens to have the correct speed, it will move around the Sun in an ellipse instead.


How does distance and time affect the speed from object?

Distance and time do not, in general, affect the speed. Speed, however, can affect distance or time. Distance is directly proportional to speed, time is inversely proportional.


What is the average orbit speed of the planets?

5.43 km per second.


Why does moons orbit the planets?

because the planets' gravity pull them so that they do not go away and the moons revolve around them with a constant speed so they stay in their orbit


Is Neptune retrograde?

No. All the planets in our solar system are prograde. At times it can appear retrograde when viewed from earth as an affect of our relative speed during certain times of our orbit.