1st Edition

ISBN: 9781938168284

Author: Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff

Publisher: OpenStax

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Textbook Question

Chapter 25, Problem 21E

We have said that the Galaxy rotates differentially; that is, stars in the inner parts complete a full 360° orbit around the center of the Galaxy more rapidly than stars farther out. Use Kepler’s third law and the mass we derived in Exercise 25.19 to calculate the period of a star that is only 5000 light-years from the center. Now do the same calculation for a globular cluster at a distance of 50,000 light-years. Suppose the Sun, this star, and the globular cluster all fall on a straight line through the center of the Galaxy. Where will they be relative to each other after the Sun completes one full journey around the center of the Galaxy? (Assume that all the mass in the Galaxy is concentrated at its center.)

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Chapter 25, Problem 20E

Chapter 25, Problem 22E

Students have asked these similar questions

Globular clusters revolve around the Galaxy in highly elliptical orbits. Where would you expect the clusters to spend most of their time? (Think of Kepler’s laws.) At any given time, would you expect most globular clusters to be moving at high or low speeds with respect to the center of the Galaxy? Why? (If you would like to learn more about globular clusters, read Section 22.2 of the book, though it is not necessary to answer this question)

If the active core of a galaxy contains a black hole of 106?Θ (1 million solar masses), what will the orbital velocity be for matter orbiting the black hole at a distance of 0.33 AU? (Hint: use the formula for orbital velocity: ?=√???; where ?=6.67×10−11 ?3?? ?2 and ?Θ= 2.0×1030 ??. Note: 1 ??=1.50×1011 ?)

If astronomers were to find they have made a mistake and our solar system is actually 7.8 (rather than 8.2) kpc from the center of the galaxy, but the orbital velocity of the sun is still 240 km/s, what is the minimum mass of the galaxy? (Hint: Use Kepler's third law.)

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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