What would decrease the gravitational pull between the sun and earth?
if the sun was twice its size
if earth was closer to the sun
if the earth was twice its size
if the sun was farther away from earth
If the sun was farther away from Earth.
The gravitational pull between the sun and the Earth can be decreased by:
1. If the sun was farther away from the Earth: The gravitational force between two objects decreases as the distance between them increases. Therefore, if the sun was farther away from the Earth, the gravitational pull between them would decrease.
2. If the Earth was closer to the sun: Similarly, if the Earth was brought closer to the sun, the gravitational force between them would increase.
3. If the sun was twice its size: The gravitational force between two objects also depends on their masses. If the sun's mass was doubled, the gravitational force between the sun and Earth would increase.
4. If the Earth was twice its size: Similarly, if the Earth's size was doubled, the gravitational force between the sun and Earth would also increase due to the increased mass.
To determine what would decrease the gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth, we need to understand the factors that affect gravitational force. Gravitational force depends on two main factors:
1. Mass: The gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses. If one or both of the objects' masses decrease, the gravitational force between them will also decrease.
2. Distance: The gravitational force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two objects. If the distance between the objects increases, the gravitational force will decrease.
Now let's analyze the given scenarios:
1. If the Sun was twice its size: Increasing the mass of the Sun would actually increase the gravitational force between the Sun and Earth, as the force is directly proportional to mass. Therefore, this option would not decrease the gravitational pull.
2. If the Earth was closer to the Sun: Decreasing the distance between two objects will increase the gravitational force between them. Therefore, this option would not decrease the gravitational pull.
3. If the Earth was twice its size: Increasing the mass of the Earth would increase the gravitational force between the Sun and Earth, as the force is directly proportional to mass. Hence, this option would not decrease the gravitational pull.
4. If the Sun was farther away from Earth: Increasing the distance between two objects will decrease the gravitational force between them. Therefore, if the Sun was farther away from Earth, the gravitational pull between them would decrease.
So, out of the given options, if the Sun was farther away from Earth, it would be the option that would decrease the gravitational pull between the Sun and Earth.