Question

Kepler's third law states that the planet's orbital period squared is equal to its mean solar distance cubed. Consequently, the solar distances of the planets can be calculated when their periods of revolution are known. The orbital period of Jupiter is 12 years, what is its distance from the sun in astronomical units?

Answer 1

Jupiter's distance from the sun is 5.24 AU.

Step-by-step explanation:

Kepler's third law of planetary motion states that the planet's orbital period squared is equal to its mean solar distance cubed. This is mathematically expressed as:

T² = d³

where

• T is the planet's orbital period
• d is the mean solar distance.

Therefore,

d³ = T²

⇒ d = (T)^(2/3)

d = (12 years)^(2/3)

d = 5.24 AU

Therefore, Jupiter's distance from the sun is 5.24 AU.