Suppose that the Sun shrank in size but that its mass remained the same.What would happen to Earth's orbit?
A)The size of Earth's orbit would shrink,and it would take less than one year to orbit the Sun.
B)Earth's orbit would expand,and it would take more than one year to orbit the Sun.
C)Earth's orbit would be unaffected.
D)Earth would change from a bound orbit to an unbound orbit and fly off into interstellar space.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Earth's orbit would be unaffected because the gravitational force between the Earth and the Sun depends on their masses and the distance between their centers, not on the Sun's size. Since the Sun's mass remains the same and the distance between the Earth and the Sun's center would not change, the gravitational force, and thus Earth's orbit, would remain the same.

Suppose That the Sun Shrank in Size but That Its