Proving the Mass Difference in Our Solar System's Sun and Planet P's Sun

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion centers around comparing the mass of the Sun in our solar system with the mass of the Sun in another galaxy, specifically regarding a planet that orbits its Sun in half the time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun. The subject area involves gravitational physics and orbital mechanics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between orbital period, mass of the star, and radius of the orbit. Questions about Kepler's laws and Newton's contributions to understanding these relationships are raised. Some participants mention the lack of information regarding mass and emphasize the significance of understanding Kepler's laws in this context.

Discussion Status

The discussion has seen participants questioning the relevant factors and relationships involved in the problem. While one participant claims to have figured out the problem using Kepler's third law, there is no explicit consensus or detailed explanation of the reasoning process shared among the participants.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted absence of specific mass information for the stars involved, and the problem is constrained by the requirement to use known laws of physics, such as Kepler's laws and gravitational principles.

exequor
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Our solar system is in the milky way galaxy. if you are told that in another galaxy a planet p has a circular orbit equal to that of the Earth's (that is they both have the same radius). the masses of the suns in the 2 galaxys are Se and Sp respectively and planet p completes its orbit in half the time it takes the earth.

How do i show that the mass of the sun in the Earth's orbit is 4 times the mass of the sun in planet p's orbit?
 
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What is the relationship between the period of a planet's orbit around its "Sun", the mass of the star, the radius of the orbit, and any other factors that may be relevant?

Have you learned of Kepler, the work he did, and what Newton subsequently showed concerning Kepler's results?
 
Nereid said:
What is the relationship between the period of a planet's orbit around its "Sun", the mass of the star, the radius of the orbit, and any other factors that may be relevant?QUOTE]

the period of planet p was half of Earth's period (183 days). no information is given on the mass. the radius is the same as Earth and there aren't any other factors.
 
Last edited:
I meant, in general ... e.g. Earth, Venus, Jupiter ... Have you studied Kepler or Newton in class yet?
 
we just studiend like F = (m1 x m2 x G)/r^2 and the relationship between g (acceleration due to gravity) and G (gravitational constant)
 
i would think that you would need to have an understanding of keplars laws. More specifically, you need to have knowledge of a relationship between the period and the distance.
 
thanx guys i figured it out using keeplers 3rd law.
 

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