We know that we can use Kepler's Laws to determine the orbits objects around one another. We also have learned that most stars orbit at least one other star (two stars orbiting each other is called a binary system). With this in mind, let's figure out the total mass of both stars of a binary system. Observing the spectra of the two stars orbiting one another, we determine the orbital period of this set of example stars around the system's center of mass to be 0.25 years (1/4 of a year) and the separation of the two stars to be 0.75 AU (3/4 of an AU). With this information, what is the sum of the mass of these two example stars orbiting each other?

We know that we can use Kepler's Laws to determine the orbits objects around one another. We also have learned that most stars orbit at least one other star (two stars orbiting each other is called a binary system). With this in mind, let's figure out the total mass of both stars of a binary system. Observing the spectra of the two stars orbiting one another, we determine the orbital period of this set of example stars around the system's center of mass to be 0.25 years (1/4 of a year) and the separation of the two stars to be 0.75 AU (3/4 of an AU). With this information, what is the sum of the mass of these two example stars orbiting each other?

University Physics Volume 1

18th Edition

ISBN:9781938168277

Author:William Moebs, Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny

Publisher:William Moebs, Samuel J. Ling, Jeff Sanny

Chapter13: Gravitation

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 58P: What would be the Schwarzschild radius, in light years, if our Milky Way galaxy of 100 billion stars...

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