A student claims that the planets orbit the Sun because of gravitational force. Which statement best supports this claim?(1 point) Responses The Sun has more mass than the planets. The Sun has more mass than the planets. Planets rotate on their axis faster than the Sun. Planets rotate on their axis faster than the Sun. The Sun was the first part of the solar system to form. The Sun was the first part of the solar system to form. Planets are farther from the center of the solar system.
The correct statement that best supports the claim is: "The Sun has more mass than the planets." Gravitational force depends on the mass of the objects involved, and the Sun's greater mass allows it to exert a gravitational force that keeps the planets in orbit.
The statement "The Sun has more mass than the planets" best supports the claim that the planets orbit the Sun because of gravitational force. To understand why, let's consider the concept of gravitational force.
Gravitational force is the attractive force that exists between any two objects with mass. The magnitude of this force depends on the masses of the two objects and the distance between them. According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, the force of gravity is directly proportional to the product of the masses of the objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
In the case of the planets orbiting the Sun, the Sun is the object with a significantly larger mass compared to the planets. The Sun's immense mass creates a gravitational force that attracts the planets towards it. This force acts as a centripetal force, constantly pulling the planets inward and causing them to orbit around the Sun. The planets' motion around the Sun can be considered a result of the gravitational force between them.
Therefore, the statement "The Sun has more mass than the planets" supports the claim because the greater mass of the Sun provides the gravitational force necessary to keep the planets in orbit.