Question

Jupiter orbits the Sun with an orbital radius of

5.50

5.50u. Determine the strongest and weakest gravitational force that exists between Earth and Jupiter as they orbit the Sun.
a. Strongest: Closer to the Sun; Weakest: Farther from the Sun
b. Strongest: Farther from the Sun; Weakest: Closer to the Sun
c. Strongest: Closer to Earth; Weakest: Farther from Earth
d. Strongest: Farther from Earth; Weakest: Closer to Earth

Answer 1

The gravitational force between Earth and Jupiter is strongest when they are closest to each other and weakest when they are farthest from each other.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking to determine the conditions under which the gravitational force between Earth and Jupiter is the strongest and the weakest as they orbit the Sun. This involves the understanding of how gravitational force works between two celestial bodies. According to Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, the gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. With this principle, we can deduce that the gravitational force is strongest when the two objects are closest to each other and weakest when they are farthest away from each other.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:

c. Strongest: Closer to Earth; Weakest: Farther from Earth.