13. What drives planetary motion in space?
*
1 point
The Sun
Mass of Planets
Inertia
Gravity
Gravity
Gravity
The correct answer is gravity. Gravity is the force that drives planetary motion in space. To understand why this is the case, let's break it down further.
First, we need to understand that gravity is a fundamental force of nature. It is the force of attraction between objects with mass. The more massive an object is, the stronger its gravitational pull.
In the context of planetary motion, the Sun plays a crucial role. Planets orbit the Sun because of its enormous gravitational pull. This is known as the gravitational force of the Sun. The Sun's gravity pulls the planets towards it, keeping them in their respective orbits.
Additionally, the mass of the planets themselves also influences their motion. The greater the mass of a planet, the stronger its gravitational pull, and the more it can affect other nearby objects in space.
However, it's important to note that inertia also plays a part in planetary motion. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion. In the case of planets, their motion is initially determined by the combination of their initial velocity and the gravitational force acting upon them. Once set in motion, the planets keep moving in their orbits due to their inertia. This is why planets continue to move around the Sun in stable elliptical orbits.
In summary, while the Sun's gravity is the primary driving force behind planetary motion in space, the planets' own mass and inertia also contribute to their orbital paths.