Third kepler's law error on sun mass calculation

In summary, when considering Kepler's Third Law, the constant used depends on the total mass of the two bodies involved. However, when dealing with the Sun-plus-planet system, the mass of the Sun is significantly greater than the planet and can be considered the same. This means that the constant in Kepler's Third Law is essentially the same as the Gaussian gravitational constant. When using the correct value for the gravitational constant, the calculated solar mass is similar to the actual value. However, when using a value of 0 for the Earth mass, the calculated solar mass is significantly incorrect. Therefore, the error in the gravitational constant is the most significant error in this scenario. To solve this problem, one could calculate the solar mass using both the correct
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Homework Statement


We consider that at the third Kepler's law the Earth mass is 0, that way we are making an error at the Sun mass calculation in comparison to the real Sun mass. In the same calculation we make another error by taking the common error at the gravitational constant, G. Which one of the two errors is the most significant? We are given the Earth mass= 5.9736 × 10^27gr, and the today accepted gravitational constant, G = 6.67384 ± 0.0008 ×10^-8 cgs(cm,g, s).


Homework Equations


third Kepler's law: P^2=4*π^2*α^3/G(sun mass+earth mass)


The Attempt at a Solution


It turns out that the constant in Kepler's Third Law depends on the total mass of the two bodies involved. Kepler himself, studying the motion of the planets around the Sun, always dealt with the 2-body system of Sun-plus-planet. The Sun is so much more massive than any of the planets in the Solar System that the mass of Sun-plus-planet is almost the same as the mass of the Sun by itself. Thus, the constant in Kepler's application of his Third Law was, for practical purposes, always the same.The constant G in the equations above is known as the Gaussian gravitational constant. If we set up a system of units with:
period P in days,
semimajor axis a in AU,
mass Mtot in solar masses,
we find: G=6.707 in cgs units.
This number indicates me that by taking the Earth mass=0 is an unconsidered error.But how am I going to prove that the G error is the significant one?
 
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  • #2
Should I try calculate the solar mass throught the formula: M(i)=4*π^2*α^3/P^2*G and then do it again like this:M(ii)= (4*π^2*α^3/P^2*G)-m(earth mass).
In the M(i) if I include the ± 0.0008 error for G I get an error σ= ±1/0,0008= ±1250 at my solar mass(cgs units). Is this correct? In the M(ii) I get the incorrect G(without the ±error and I am getting M(ii)=2.01*10^33gr which is similar with the real solar mass(1.989*10^33gr). Is this all I have to do to solve this problem?
 

Related to Third kepler's law error on sun mass calculation

What is Kepler's third law?

Kepler's third law, also known as the law of harmonies, states that the square of an object's orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

What is the error associated with Kepler's third law when calculating the mass of the sun?

The error associated with Kepler's third law when calculating the mass of the sun is due to the assumption that all bodies orbit around a single central mass. This assumption does not take into account the gravitational pull of other bodies in the solar system, leading to a small margin of error in the calculation.

How does the error in Kepler's third law affect the calculation of the sun's mass?

The error in Kepler's third law can cause a slight overestimation or underestimation of the sun's mass, depending on the location and mass of other bodies in the solar system. However, this error is relatively small and does not significantly impact the overall calculation of the sun's mass.

What are some factors that can contribute to the error in Kepler's third law?

Aside from the gravitational pull of other bodies in the solar system, other factors that can contribute to the error in Kepler's third law include the eccentricity of an object's orbit and the presence of non-uniform masses within the object itself.

How accurate is Kepler's third law in determining the mass of the sun?

Despite the small margin of error associated with Kepler's third law, it is still considered a highly accurate method for determining the mass of the sun. When combined with other methods and observations, it can provide a more precise measurement of the sun's mass.

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