51. In Larry Niven's science-fiction novel Ringworld, a rigid ring of material rotates about a star (Fig. P13.51). The tangential speed of the ring is 1.25×10® m/s, and its radius is 1.53×10" m. (a) Show that the centripetal acceleration of the inhabitants is 10.2 m/s². (b) The inhabitants of this ring world live on the starlit inner surface of the ring. Each person experiences a normal contact force ñ. Acting alone, this normal force would produce an inward acceleration of 9.90 m/s². Additionally, the star at the center of the ring exerts a gravitational force on the ring and its inhabitants. The difference between the total acceleration and the acceleration provided by the normal force is due to the gravitational attraction of the central star. Show that the mass of the star is approximately 1032 kg.

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51. In Larry Niven's science-fiction novel Ringworld, a rigid ring of material rotates
about a star (Fig. P13.51). The tangential speed of the ring is 1.25×10€ m/s, and its
radius is 1.53×10" m. (a) Show that the centripetal acceleration of the inhabitants
is 10.2 m/s?. (b) The inhabitants of this ring world live on the starlit inner surface
of the ring. Each person experiences a normal contact force ñ. Acting alone, this
normal force would produce an inward acceleration of 9.90 m/s2. Additionally, the
star at the center of the ring exerts a gravitational force on the ring and its
inhabitants. The difference between the total acceleration and the acceleration
provided by the normal force is due to the gravitational attraction of the central
star. Show that the mass of the star is approximately 1032 kg.
Star
F
Figure P13.51
Transcribed Image Text:51. In Larry Niven's science-fiction novel Ringworld, a rigid ring of material rotates about a star (Fig. P13.51). The tangential speed of the ring is 1.25×10€ m/s, and its radius is 1.53×10" m. (a) Show that the centripetal acceleration of the inhabitants is 10.2 m/s?. (b) The inhabitants of this ring world live on the starlit inner surface of the ring. Each person experiences a normal contact force ñ. Acting alone, this normal force would produce an inward acceleration of 9.90 m/s2. Additionally, the star at the center of the ring exerts a gravitational force on the ring and its inhabitants. The difference between the total acceleration and the acceleration provided by the normal force is due to the gravitational attraction of the central star. Show that the mass of the star is approximately 1032 kg. Star F Figure P13.51
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