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.