How Planets Orbit the Sun — Reading Comprehension

The solar system is made up of the Sun and all the objects that move around it. The Sun is a star at the center of our solar system. Planets, such as Earth, Mars, and Jupiter, are large objects that travel around the Sun in paths called orbits.

Planets stay in their orbits because of a force called gravity. Gravity is a pull that the Sun has on the planets. It keeps them from flying away into space. But planets are also moving forward very fast. This motion is called inertia. Inertia makes planets want to keep moving in a straight line, but gravity pulls them toward the Sun. Because of both gravity and inertia, planets go around the Sun in curved paths.

Each planet orbits the Sun at a different distance and speed. For example, Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and goes around it very quickly. Neptune is much farther away and takes a long time to orbit the Sun. Earth takes about 365 days to complete one orbit. This is what we call a year.

Some other objects also orbit the Sun, like asteroids and comets. The Moon orbits Earth, but Earth orbits the Sun. This shows that orbiting can happen at different levels in space.

Understanding orbits helps scientists send satellites into space. Satellites need to move at just the right speed to stay in orbit around Earth, just like planets do around the Sun.

Interesting Fact: Venus orbits the Sun in the opposite direction from most other planets in our solar system!

What keeps planets in orbit?

What is inertia?

Which planet is closest to the Sun?

Why do planets move in curved paths?

What would happen without gravity?

Which object orbits the Earth?

A year is one orbit of Earth.

What is a satellite?