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  • Kepler's Third Law: Orbital Period & Distance from Sun Explained
    Yes, the square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun. This is known as Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion.

    Here's a breakdown:

    * Orbital Period: The time it takes a planet to complete one full orbit around the Sun.

    * Average Distance from the Sun: This is the average of the planet's closest and farthest distances from the Sun, also known as the semi-major axis of its elliptical orbit.

    Mathematically:

    T² ∝ r³

    Where:

    * T = Orbital period

    * r = Average distance from the Sun

    In simpler terms:

    If you double the average distance of a planet from the Sun, its orbital period will increase by a factor of about 2.83 (the cube root of 8).

    This law applies to all planets in our solar system, and it helps us understand the relationship between a planet's distance from the Sun and how long it takes to complete an orbit.

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