Question

The planet Mercury takes 0.24 sidereal years to go around the sun. What is the distance from the center of Mercury to the center of the sun

Answer 1

5.77×10¹⁰ m

Step-by-step explanation:

From the question,

Applying

Kepler's third law

P² = d³...................... Equation 1

Where P = Planet's period, d = distance between the center of the planet and the sun.

make d the subject of the formula n equation 1

d =
`\sqrt[3]{P^(2) }`.................. Equation 2

Given: P = 0.24 sidereal.

Substitute the value of P into equation 2

d =
`\sqrt[3]{0.24^(2) }`

d = 0.386 Au

d = 0.386×1.496×10¹¹

d = 5.77×10¹⁰ m