Astronomy
1st Edition
ISBN: 9781938168284
Author: Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher: OpenStax
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Textbook Question
Chapter 25, Problem 27E
Suppose the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy merges completely with the Milky Way and adds 150,000 stars to it. Estimate the percentage change in the mass of the Milky Way. Will this be enough mass to affect the orbit of the Sun around the galactic center? Assume that all of the Sagittarius galaxy’s stars end up in the nuclear bulge of the Milky Way Galaxy and explain your answer.
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An important part of the lifecycle of galaxies like the Milky Way is the self regulation of formation of future generations of stars. Which statement best describes this process?
A) Massive stars explode as Supernovae, heating nearby gas which then can't form stars, and even forcing the gas out of the galaxy in asuperbubble.
B) Low mass stars like our Sun explode as Supernovae, heating nearby gas which then can't form stars, and even forcing the gas out the galaxy in asuperbubble.
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Figure 2 shows the "rotation curve" of
NGC 2742. It plots the “radial velocity
(V)" (how fast material is moving
either toward or away from us) that is
measured for objects at different
distances (R = radius") from the
center of the galaxy. The center of the
galaxy is at 0 kpc (kiloparsecs) with a
speed of 9 km/sec away from us.
(These velocities have been corrected
for the observed tilt of the galaxy and
represent true orbital velocities of the
stars and gas.)
200
100
U4779
-100
As you can see, one side of the galaxy
is moving with a negative velocity
(spinning toward us), while the other
side has a positive velocity (spinning
away from us). Using Newton's
gravity equation, we will be able to
determine the gravitational mass of the
entire galaxy and how the mass varies
versus distance from the galaxy's center.
-200
-8
8
-4
Radius (kpc)
Read the following text carefully and follow the instructions:
Select five radii spaced evenly from 0-10 kpc across the galaxy. Your selections should…
Chapter 25 Solutions
Astronomy
Ch. 25 - Explain why we see the Milky Way as a faint band...Ch. 25 - Explain where in a spiral galaxy you would expect...Ch. 25 - Describe several characteristics that distinguish...Ch. 25 - Briefly describe the main parts of our Galaxy.Ch. 25 - Describe the evidence indicating that a black hole...Ch. 25 - Explain why the abundances of heavy elements in...Ch. 25 - What will be the long-term future of our Galaxy?Ch. 25 - Suppose the Milky Way was a band of light...Ch. 25 - Suppose somebody proposed that rather than...Ch. 25 - The globular clusters revolve around the Galaxy in...
Ch. 25 - Shapley used the positions of globular clusters to...Ch. 25 - Consider the following five kinds of objects: open...Ch. 25 - The dwarf galaxy in Sagittarius is the one closest...Ch. 25 - Suppose three stars lie in the disk of the Galaxy...Ch. 25 - Why does star formation occur primarily in the...Ch. 25 - Where in the Galaxy would you expect to find Type...Ch. 25 - Suppose that stars evolved without losing...Ch. 25 - Assume that the Sun orbits the center of the...Ch. 25 - The Sun orbits the center of the Galaxy in 225...Ch. 25 - Suppose the Sun orbited a little farther out, but...Ch. 25 - We have said that the Galaxy rotates...Ch. 25 - If our solar system is 4.6 billion years old, how...Ch. 25 - Suppose the average mass of a star in the Galaxy...Ch. 25 - The first clue that the Galaxy contains a lot of...Ch. 25 - The best evidence for a black hole at the center...Ch. 25 - The next step in deciding whether the object in...Ch. 25 - Suppose the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy merges...
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