Final answer:
The distances between the orbits of the inner planets are much smaller than those between the orbits of the outer planets due to the principles of Kepler's third law. The inner planets are spaced within approximately 1.5 AUs, while the outer planets are distant from each other by tens of AUs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distances between the orbits of the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are much smaller compared to the distances between the orbits of the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). This difference in distances can be attributed to the laws of planetary motion, specifically Kepler's third law, which states that the ratio of the squares of the periods of any two planets is proportional to the ratio of the cubes of their average distances from the sun. Consequently, as the planets get farther from the Sun, the distance between their orbits increases significantly.
An easy way to visualize this is by comparing the average distances of the planets in astronomical units (AU), where 1 AU is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun. The four inner planets are spread out over approximately 1.5 AU, whereas the outer planets are spread out over tens of AUs, with Neptune orbiting at an average distance of about 30 AU from the Sun