The Sun orbits the Milky Way galaxy once each 2.60 × 10 8 years, with a roughly circular orbit averaging a radius of 3.00 × 10 4 light-years. (A light-year is the distance traveled by light in 1 year.) Calculate the centripetal accleration of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does yur result support the contention that a nearly inertial frame of reference can be located at the Sun? (b) Calculate the average speed of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does the answer surprise you?
The Sun orbits the Milky Way galaxy once each 2.60 × 10 8 years, with a roughly circular orbit averaging a radius of 3.00 × 10 4 light-years. (A light-year is the distance traveled by light in 1 year.) Calculate the centripetal accleration of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does yur result support the contention that a nearly inertial frame of reference can be located at the Sun? (b) Calculate the average speed of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does the answer surprise you?
The Sun orbits the Milky Way galaxy once each
2.60
×
10
8
years, with a roughly circular orbit averaging a radius of
3.00
×
10
4
light-years. (A light-year is the distance traveled by light in 1 year.) Calculate the centripetal accleration of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does yur result support the contention that a nearly inertial frame of reference can be located at the Sun? (b) Calculate the average speed of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does the answer surprise you?
Astronomical observations of our Milky Way galaxy indicate that it has a mass of about 8 ✕ 1011 solar masses. A star orbiting near the galaxy's periphery is 5.8 ✕ 104 light years from its center.
(a)
What should the orbital period (in y) of that star be?
y
(b)
If its period is 7.0 ✕ 107 y instead, what is the mass (in solar masses) of the galaxy? Such calculations are used to imply the existence of "dark matter" in the universe and have indicated, for example, the existence of very massive black holes at the centers of some galaxies.
solar masses
Astronomical observations of our Milky Way galaxy indicate that it has a mass of about 8 x 10¹¹ solar masses. A star orbiting near
the galaxy's periphery is 5.9 x 104 light years from its center. (For your calculations, assume that the galaxy's mass is concentrated
near its center.)
What should the orbital period of that star be?
yr
If its period is 5.8 x 107 years instead, what is the mass of the galaxy? Such calculations are used to imply the existence of
"dark matter" in the universe and have indicated, for example, the existence of very massive black holes at the centers of
some galaxies.
solar masses
(a) The Sun orbits the Milky Way galaxy once each 2.60 x 108 y , with a roughly circular orbit averaging 3.00 x 104light years in radius. (A light year is the distance traveled by light in 1 y.) Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does your result support the contention that a nearly inertial frame of reference can be located at the Sun?
(b) Calculate the average speed of the Sun in its galactic orbit. Does the answer surprise you?
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