Venus rotates backward and Uranus and Pluto spin about an axis tipped nearly on its side. Based on what you learned about the motion of small bodies in the solar system and the surfaces of the planets, what might be the cause of these strange rotations?

Question

Physics

Francis Frye

24 February, 16:27

Venus rotates backward and Uranus and Pluto spin about an axis tipped nearly on its side. Based on what you learned about the motion of small bodies in the solar system and the surfaces of the planets, what might be the cause of these strange rotations?

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Answers (1)

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Elliot Ho · Answer 1

Solution:

- All the planets in the solar system revolve around the Sun. Each of the planets have their own fixed paths nearly circular to which they revolve and this path is known as the orbit of the planet.

- The planet revolves around the sun by spinning about an axis and most of the planets have the same direction of rotation on its axis as the direction of their revolution around the sun. However, there are a few exceptions where Venus rotates backwards and Uranus and Pluto spin about an axis slanted closed to its side. The reason behind these exceptions could be as a result of certain impacts in the early stage of their creation by various asteroids and planetesimal.

- The other reason could be due to tilting of the axes of these planets to certain amount of degrees.