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Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Kepler's Third Law
Kepler's Third Law states that the square of the orbital period (P) of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis (a) of its orbit. Mathematically, this can be expressed as P² = a³. When 'P' is measured in Earth years, and 'a' is measured in astronomical units (AU), the constant of proportionality is 1.
Step 2: Applying Kepler's Third Law
In this problem, the asteroid has a semi-major axis a = 4 AU. We can plug this value into Kepler's Third Law:
P² = 4³ = 64
Step 3: Solve for the Period (P)
To find the orbital period (P), we take the square root of both sides of the equation: