As distance from the Sun increases what generally happens to the solar energy received by planets?

Correct answer: It decreases

As a planet’s distance from the Sun increases, the solar energy received per unit area generally decreases. The Sun radiates energy outward, and that energy spreads over increasingly larger spherical surfaces. Consequently, the intensity follows an inverse-square relationship: if distance becomes twice as large, the received intensity is approximately one-fourth, assuming other conditions are comparable. This is why planets farther from the Sun generally receive less insolation and tend to have lower average temperatures, although atmospheres and other factors also matter. Option A ignores distance, option B is opposite to the relationship, and option C confuses sunlight with night. Thus, option D is correct.