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how to measure the speed of planets?
Good question:
Calculate the SPEED of each of the nine planets using the formulae:

SPEED = DISTANCE TRAVELLED /TIME

Where:-

1) Distance travelled around an orbit = 2IIr

2) r = distance from the Sun

The best units of speed to use are millions of km per day.


 THE SPEEDS OF THE PLANETS
Example:
Planet           Distance from sun           Speed of planet
                 (millions of km)            (million km day -1)           

Mercury                    58                      4.14     
                                                                           
Venus                      108                     etc. etc.


 Newton's Law of Gravitation states that the force of gravity becomes SMALLER the further the planet is from the Sun.
Planet      Distance           Mass         Time for 1      
            from               of Planet    Orbit             
            Sun               (x10 ^22 kg)  of Sun
            (million km)                    (days)      
                                   
Mercury            58              33.0             88.0        

Venus              108             487              224.7       

Earth              150             598             365.2        

Mars               228             64.2            687.0        

Jupiter            778            190,000          4332         

Saturn             1,429          56,900           10760
  
Uranus             2,871          8,690            30700        

Neptune            4,504          10,280           60200        

Pluto              5,913          1.49             90600        
 


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