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

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The orbit of Earth is determined by the mass of the Sun and the distance between the two. If the Sun were to shrink in size but maintain its mass, the gravitational pull on Earth would remain the same, so Earth's orbit would not be affected.

Suppose That the Sun Shrank in Size but That Its