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Dustin salinas
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Homework Statement
Stellar mass 3.8 x 10^30 kg
Star's orbital speed: 90 m/s
Planet's orbital speed: 95,000 m/s
Whats the mass of the planet in kilograms
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Can you find the distance to the centre of rotation from each body? What does that tell you about relative mass?Dustin salinas said:Homework Statement
Stellar mass 3.8 x 10^30 kg
Star's orbital speed: 90 m/s
Planet's orbital speed: 95,000 m/s
Whats the mass of the planet in kilograms
[/B]Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Dustin salinas said:This is my sons homework I am just trying to get the answer and see if someone can show me how to get it so i can help him
As already mentioned, we aren't a service where someone posts a question and we give the answer. If your son wants help, he should become a member, and we will steer him in the right direction, but he has to show some effort.Dustin salinas said:Apparently him joining wouldn't get him closer to an answer
To calculate the mass of a planet, we use the formula M = v²r/G, where M represents the mass of the planet, v represents the orbital speed of the planet, r represents the distance between the planet and its star, and G represents the gravitational constant. This formula is derived from Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion and is known as the "mass function".
The star's mass plays a crucial role in calculating the planet's mass as it determines the strength of the gravitational force between the star and the planet. This force affects the orbital speed of the planet, which is a key component in the mass function formula.
No, this method is only applicable for planets that have a single star as their source of gravity. It cannot be used to calculate the mass of planets in binary or multiple star systems.
This method can provide a good estimate of a planet's mass, but it is not always accurate due to various factors such as the uncertainty in the distance between the planet and its star, and the possibility of other objects affecting the orbital speed.
Yes, there are other methods such as radial velocity measurements, transit photometry, and astrometry that can be used to calculate a planet's mass. Each method has its own limitations and strengths, and scientists often use a combination of these methods to get a more accurate measurement.