Question
Linda was studying the planets in our solar system. Through her research, she learned that distance could impact how fast one object orbits another. She found the closer that two objects are, the faster the orbital speed. Based on the data shown, which of the following planets would have the slowest orbital speed? Mars Jupiter Mercury Earth
Ask by Warren Stewart. in the United States
Jan 29,2025
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Answer
Jupiter has the slowest orbital speed.
Solution
Based on the principle that the farther a planet is from the Sun, the slower its orbital speed, we can determine which planet among the options has the slowest orbital speed.
Here are the average distances of the listed planets from the Sun:
1. **Mercury**: ~0.39 Astronomical Units (AU)
2. **Earth**: ~1.00 AU
3. **Mars**: ~1.52 AU
4. **Jupiter**: ~5.20 AU
**Jupiter** is the farthest from the Sun among the listed planets, which means it has the slowest orbital speed.
**Answer:** Jupiter
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When we think about orbital speeds, we can't help but picture celestial bodies zipping around in a grand cosmic dance! For instance, Mercury, being the closest planet to the Sun, zips around at the speed of about 47.87 km/s, while Jupiter, being the farthest, has a much slower speed of about 13.07 km/s. Earth falls somewhere in between at about 29.78 km/s, and Mars orbits even more lethargically than Earth at approximately 24.07 km/s. So, if we're measuring which planet has the slowest orbital speed around the Sun, Jupiter takes the crown! Its epic distance leads to a leisurely circumambulation. What a slowpoke among the solar system!
