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How does gravity affect the orbital period of a planet?
PLEASEEEE HELPPPP!!!!!

User Jayp
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Gravity holds the earth together with gravity because of the earth's axis the earth spins causing seasons. And that also effects the period of orbit.
User Alex Kalicki
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The stronger the gravitational force, the shorter the orbital period.

In other words, the greater the gravitational attraction of its sun, the faster the planet must go to stay in the same orbit.

The formula for the orbital period P is

P = 2π√[r^3/(GM)]

where

r = the average radius of the orbit

G = the gravitational constant

M = the mass of the planet’s sun

The important point is that the orbital period is inversely proportional to the square root of the sun’s mass.

The gravitational attraction of the sun is directly proportional to its mass.

Thus, as mass increases, gravitational attraction increases, and the orbital period decreases

User Brendan Metcalfe
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