An asteroid is in orbit at 4 times the earth's distance from the Sun.What is its period of revolution?
A) one fourth year
B) 4 years
C) 8 years
D) 16 years

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kepler's third law states that the square of an object's period of revolution is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the Sun. Using this law, we can calculate the asteroid's period of revolution as follows:

(period of revolution)^2 = (average distance from Sun)^3
(period of revolution)^2 = (4)^3
(period of revolution)^2 = 64
period of revolution = sqrt(64)
period of revolution = 8

Therefore, the asteroid's period of revolution is 8 years, which is answer choice C.

An Asteroid Is in Orbit at 4 Times the Earth's