Which statement best explains why the planets orbit around the Sun?
A.
The Sun exerts the largest gravitational force due to its mass.
B.
The Sun exerts the smallest gravitational force due to its mass.
C.
The Sun exerts the largest gravitational force due to its location.
D.
The Sun exerts the smallest gravitational force due to its location.
A. The Sun exerts the largest gravitational force due to its mass.
A. The Sun exerts the largest gravitational force due to its mass.
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the factors that influence the orbit of planets around the Sun. The force of gravity plays a significant role in determining the behavior of celestial bodies in space.
According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, the force of gravity between two objects depends on their mass and the distance between them. The formula is:
F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2,
where F is the force of gravity, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the objects, and r is the distance between them.
Considering this, we can eliminate options B and D, which suggest that the Sun exerts the smallest gravitational force. Since the Sun is the most massive object in our solar system, option C, stating that the Sun exerts the largest gravitational force due to its location, is also incorrect.
Therefore, the correct answer is A: The Sun exerts the largest gravitational force due to its mass. The Sun's immense mass results in a significant gravitational force, which keeps the planets in their orbits around it.