Astronomy Today (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN: 9780134450278
Author: Eric Chaisson, Steve McMillan
Publisher: PEARSON
expand_more
expand_more
format_list_bulleted
Concept explainers
Question
Chapter 3, Problem 15D
To determine
The way in which astronomers use the Doppler effect to determine the velocities of astronomical objects, and also to determine the possible limitations of that approach.
Expert Solution & Answer
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solution
Students have asked these similar questions
Blue light emitted by a light source on a spaceship is observed on a planet, as red due to the Doppler effect. Work out the velocity of the spaceship relative to the planet. Explain your answer.
(The wavelengths of the two colors are: ?blue = 450 nm and ?red = 650 nm)
Astronomers observe a supernova remnant and a planetary nebula with a spectroscope. In terms of velocity, compare the Doppler shifts observed with each of these objects. Justify your answer.
*This is all the information I was given to answer this question.
Small differences in the wavelengths in the sun’s spectrum are detected when measurements are taken from different parts of the sun’s disk. Specifi cally, measurements of the 656-nm line in hydrogen taken from opposite sides on the sun’s equator—one side approaching Earth and the other receding—differ from each other by 0.0090 nm. Use this information to fi nd the rotational period of the sun’s equator. Express your answer in days. (The sun’s equatorial radius is 6.96 x 108 m.)
Chapter 3 Solutions
Astronomy Today (9th Edition)
Ch. 3 - Prob. 1DCh. 3 - Prob. 2DCh. 3 - Prob. 3DCh. 3 - Prob. 4DCh. 3 - Prob. 5DCh. 3 - Prob. 6DCh. 3 - Prob. 7DCh. 3 - Prob. 8DCh. 3 - Prob. 9DCh. 3 - Prob. 10D
Ch. 3 - Prob. 11DCh. 3 - Prob. 12DCh. 3 - Prob. 13DCh. 3 - Prob. 14DCh. 3 - Prob. 15DCh. 3 - Prob. 1MCCh. 3 - Prob. 2MCCh. 3 - Prob. 3MCCh. 3 - Prob. 4MCCh. 3 - Prob. 5MCCh. 3 - Prob. 6MCCh. 3 - Prob. 7MCCh. 3 - Prob. 8MCCh. 3 - Prob. 9MCCh. 3 - Prob. 10MCCh. 3 - Prob. 1PCh. 3 - Prob. 2PCh. 3 - Prob. 3PCh. 3 - Prob. 4PCh. 3 - Prob. 5PCh. 3 - Prob. 6PCh. 3 - Prob. 7PCh. 3 - Prob. 8P
Knowledge Booster
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- Astronomers use a light-year to measure distance. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. The speed of light is approximately 300,000 km/sec.a. How long is 1 light-year in kilometers?b. The nearest star (other than the sun) is Alpha Centauri. It is 4.34 light-years from Earth. How far is that in kilometers?c. How long will it take a rocket traveling 42,000 km/hr to reach Alpha Centauri?arrow_forwardAstronomers determine that a particular star in our galaxy is moving toward Earth at a speed of 722.0 km/s with respect to the Earth. If Earth receives a wavelength ? = 682.1 nm from this star, what was the wavelength emitted by the star?____________ nmarrow_forwardThe Schwarzschild radius, RS, of a black hole depends on its mass m, the speed of light c,and the gravitational constant G (with units m3/(kg s2)).Find a dimensionally correct expression for RS in terms of these quantities.Assuming that you found a dimensionally correct expression, can you be sure that this expression is, in fact, the correct expression for calculating the Schwarzschild radius? Explainyour answer.arrow_forward
- A laser rangefinder is locked on a comet approaching Earth. The distance g(x), in kilometers, of the comet after x days, for x in the interval 0 to 30 days, is given by g(x)=350,000csc(π/30*x). a. Select the graph of g(x) on the interval [0,35]. b. Evaluate g(5). Enter the exact answer. c. What is the minimum distance between the comet and Earth? When does this occur? To which constant in the equation does this correspond? d. Find and discuss the meaning of any vertical asymptotes on the interval [0,35].arrow_forwardThe answer is incorrect, would there be another way for figuring this out? Thank you.arrow_forwardRed light has a wavelength of 650 nm. Green light has a wavelength of 550 nm. The speed of light is 3×108 m/s Find the frequency of red light in s-1. Enter it in scientific notation with 3 significant figures. Answer: Find the frequency of green light in s-1. Answer: You are driving to school and approach a red light. How fast would you need to be going to make the light appear to be green? Give your answer in m/s. It will also need scientific notation. Answer:arrow_forward
- Suppose that you decide to look at a known binary star system. The system is too far away to resolve the individual stars, so it appears to be just one point of light. By looking at the spectrum of the system, though, you should be able to use the Doppler shift to determine some parameters of the two-star system. The first thing that one notices is that there appear to be two hydrogen spectra shifted relative to each other owing to the motion of the stars relative to each other. Furthermore, one notices that the position of these lines will shift over time as the stars orbit around each other. Consider a binary star system that has bright lines at 656.72 and 656.86 nm. Over the course of six months the 656.72-nm line moves to longer wavelength and the 656.86-nm line moves to shorter wavelength, until finally the two have swapped (i.e., the spectrum of the star system again shows bright lines at 656.72 and 656.86 nm). Assume that the stars are of roughly equal mass and moving in a…arrow_forwardSuppose that you decide to look at a known binary star system. The system is too far away to resolve the individual stars, so it appears to be just one point of light. By looking at the spectrum of the system, though, you should be able to use the Doppler shift to determine some parameters of the two-star system. The first thing that one notices is that there appear to be two hydrogen spectra shifted relative to each other owing to the motion of the stars relative to each other. Furthermore, one notices that the position of these lines will shift over time as the stars orbit around each other. Consider a binary star system that has bright lines at 656.72 and 656.86 nm. Over the course of six months the 656.72-nm line moves to longer wavelength and the 656.86-nm line moves to shorter wavelength, until finally the two have swapped (i.e., the spectrum of the star system again shows bright lines at 656.72 and 656.86 nm). Assume that the stars are of roughly equal mass and moving in a…arrow_forwardExplain how the Doppler effect works for sound waves and give some familiar examples.arrow_forward
- In December 2012, researchers announced the discovery of ultramassive black holes, with masses up to 40 billion times themass of the Sun (seen as the bright spot at the center of the galaxy near the center of Fig. P39.78). a. What is the Schwarz-schild radius of a black hole that has a mass 40 billion times that of the Sun? b. Suppose this black hole is 1.3 billion ly from theEarth. What is the angular radius of a galaxy that is 1.7 billion lybehind it, as viewed from the Earth? FIGURE P39.78arrow_forwardImagine that a spacecraft has landed on Mercury and is transmitting radio signals to Earth at a wavelength of 10.000 cm. When Mercury is seen from Earth in the evening sky, at its greatest angular distance east of the Sun, it is moving toward Earth at its maximum possible relative speed of 47.9 km/s. To what wavelength must you tune your radio telescope to detect the signals? (Hint: Use the Doppler formula in Reasoning with Numbers 6-2.)arrow_forwardSuppose a star 1000 times brighter than our Sun (that is, emitting 1000 times the power) suddenly goes supernova. Using data from Table 7.3: (a) By what factor does its power output increase? (b) How many times brighter than our entire Milky Way galaxy is the supernova? (c) Based on your answers, discuss whether it should be possible to observe supernovas in distant galaxies. Note that there are on the order of 1011 observable galaxies, the average brightness of which is somewhat less than our own galaxy.arrow_forward
arrow_back_ios
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
arrow_forward_ios
Recommended textbooks for you
AstronomyPhysicsISBN:9781938168284Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. WolffPublisher:OpenStax
Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...PhysicsISBN:9781305960961Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana BackmanPublisher:Cengage Learning
College PhysicsPhysicsISBN:9781938168000Author:Paul Peter Urone, Roger HinrichsPublisher:OpenStax College
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations...PhysicsISBN:9781133939146Author:Katz, Debora M.Publisher:Cengage Learning
Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern ...PhysicsISBN:9781337553292Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. JewettPublisher:Cengage Learning
Physics for Scientists and EngineersPhysicsISBN:9781337553278Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. JewettPublisher:Cengage Learning
Astronomy
Physics
ISBN:9781938168284
Author:Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher:OpenStax
Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course ...
Physics
ISBN:9781305960961
Author:Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher:Cengage Learning
College Physics
Physics
ISBN:9781938168000
Author:Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs
Publisher:OpenStax College
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations...
Physics
ISBN:9781133939146
Author:Katz, Debora M.
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern ...
Physics
ISBN:9781337553292
Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Physics for Scientists and Engineers
Physics
ISBN:9781337553278
Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:Cengage Learning