The planet in a distant solar system has a diameter equal to 1.50×107 m and a free-fall acceleration on the surface that is equal to 13.1 m/s2 . . The planet orbits a distance 2.20×1011 m from its star (center-to-center distance) with a period of 402 earth days. Part AWhat is the mass of the planet?Part BWhat is the mass of the star?

Answer :

Answer:

Part A: 1.47 * 10^ 20 kg

Part B: 5.22 * 10^30 kg.

Explanation:

The acceleration due to gravity on a planet of mass M and radius r is given by

[tex]a=G\frac{M_{}}{r^2}[/tex]

where G = 6.67 *10^-11 m^3 / kg *s^2 = gravitational constant.

Now solving for M gives

[tex]M=\frac{ar^2}{G}[/tex]

Putting in a = 13.1 m /s^2 and r = (1.5 * 10^9 / 2) gives

[tex]M=\frac{13.1\times(1.5\times10^9)/2}{6.67\times10^{-11}}[/tex]

which evaluates to give

[tex]\boxed{M=1.47\times10^{20}\operatorname{kg}\text{.}}[/tex]

which is the mass of the planet.

Part B.

Here we use Kepler's third law, which says

[tex]T^2=\frac{4\pi^2}{GM}a^3[/tex]

where

T = orbital period of the planet

M = mass of the star

a = distance between the star and the planet.

G = gravitational constant

Now solving for M gives

[tex]M=\frac{4\pi^2}{GT^2}a^3[/tex]

Now putting a = 2.20 * 10^11 , G = 6.67 * 10^-11, and T = 402 * 24 * 60 *60 gives

[tex]M=\frac{4\pi^2}{(6.67\times10^{-11})\times(402\cdot24\cdot60\cdot60)^2}\cdot(2.20\times10^{11})^3[/tex]

[tex]\boxed{M=5.22\times10^{30}\operatorname{kg}\text{.}}[/tex]

Hence, the mass of the star is 5.22 * 10^30 kg.

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