When the Earth is moving away from the sun it begins to slow down, why is that?

1.The pull of the sun relative to the motion of Earth changes.
2. Earth's inertia is pointing backwards on the orbit. 3.The gravitational pull of the Earth on the sun changes.
4.Earth's inertia begins pointing toward the sun.

The correct answer is: 1. The pull of the sun relative to the motion of Earth changes.

The correct answer is 1. The pull of the sun relative to the motion of Earth changes.

When the Earth is moving away from the sun, the gravitational pull of the sun exerts a force on the Earth. This force is what keeps the Earth in its orbit around the sun. As the Earth moves away from the sun, the direction of this gravitational force changes, causing a change in the overall force being applied to the Earth. This change in force leads to a decrease in the Earth's speed, resulting in a slowing down of its motion.

The correct answer is option 1: The pull of the sun relative to the motion of Earth changes.

To understand why this happens, we need to consider the force of gravity and how it affects the motion of the Earth in its orbit around the sun. As the Earth moves in its elliptical orbit, it is constantly being pulled towards the sun by the force of gravity.

However, it is important to note that the Earth also has its own inertia, which is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion. This inertia acts in the opposite direction to the pull of gravity, causing the Earth to move tangentially in its orbit.

During the phase when the Earth is moving away from the sun, the pull of the sun's gravity decreases. This happens because the distance between the Earth and the sun increases, resulting in a weaker gravitational force between them.

As the pull of the sun relative to the motion of Earth changes, the Earth's speed in its orbit decreases. This is similar to swinging on a swing - as you move away from the center, the force pulling you back decreases, and you start to slow down.

Therefore, option 1 - the pull of the sun relative to the motion of Earth changes - is the reason why the Earth slows down when it moves away from the sun.