Question 3 - 1 mark Questions - Chapter 1 Class 6 Geography - The Earth and the Solar System - Geography

What is the path taken by the planets to go round the sun called?

Answer:

Answer by Student

The path taken by the planets to go around the sun is called an orbit .

Detailed Explanation by Teachoo

• An orbit is a curved path that an object follows around another object due to gravity . Gravity is a force that pulls objects together. The sun has a very strong gravity because it is very big and heavy. The planets have a weaker gravity because they are smaller and lighter.
• The sun’s gravity pulls the planets towards it, but the planets also have their own motion. They move sideways at a certain speed and direction. This motion makes them go around the sun in a circular or elliptical shape. This shape is called an orbit.

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• Different planets have different orbits. Some orbits are more circular, like Venus and Earth . Some orbits are more elliptical, like Mercury and Pluto . Some orbits are closer to the sun, like Mercury and Venus. Some orbits are farther from the sun, like Neptune and Pluto.
• The time it takes for a planet to complete one orbit around the sun is called its year . Different planets have different years. For example, Earth takes about 365 days to orbit the sun, while Jupiter takes about 12 years.
• Orbits are very important for understanding how the solar system works. They help us know how far the planets are from the sun and from each other, how fast they move, and how they affect each other’s motion.

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