A planet whose distance from the Sun is 3 AU would have an orbital period of how many Earth-years?
A) 3
B) $\sqrt { 27 }$
C) $\sqrt { 3 }$
D) 9
E) 81

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Kepler's Third Law, the square of the orbital period (T) is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis (a) of its orbit. For a planet 3 AU from the Sun, $ T^2 = a^3 $, so $ T^2 = 3^3 = 27 $. Therefore, $ T = \sqrt{27} $.

A Planet Whose Distance from the Sun Is 3 AU 27\sqrt { 27 }27​

A Planet Whose Distance from the Sun Is 3 AU $\sqrt { 27 }$