About doubling the mass of the planets and the sun of our solar system

In summary, if we double the mass of our Sun, the orbits of the planets in our solar system will change. This may cause some planets to collide or have close encounters. However, the main change would be due to the doubling of the mass of the Sun, and any changes would be due to the increase in the gravitational force.
  • #1
ayush solanki
21
4
I want to know that if we double the mass of the planets and our sun in the solar system,then will it make any difference in the orbits of the planets?will it be necessary to double the distance of each planet from sun?(I am asking it assuming that the sun on doubling of its mass,don't turn into a black hole,will it?)thank you.
 
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  • #2
What do you think would happen? Why?
 
  • #3
I think that it is necessary to double the distance as otherwise the gravity will dominate and the orbits might change.is it correct?
 
  • #4
Certainly if you keep the distance the same and double both masses you wouldn't end up with a stable orbit. As the the exact answers, you should look up / figure out the equations for orbits and see what you come up with if you just take a single case of the Earth and the Sun with each mass doubling. What happens to the distance to get a stable orbit?
 
  • #5
Thank you a lot.I will work on it.
 
  • #6
Hint: try equating the gravitational force between the star and a planet with the centripetal force needed to keep the planet in orbit.
 
  • #7
Ok will certainly do.thank you a lot.
 
  • #8
ayush solanki said:
Thank you a lot.I will work on it.
You are quite welcome. By the way, welcome to the forum. I think you have probably figured out by now that we are not big on just spoon-feeding answer to questions but rather prefer to help people figure out how to solve problems themselves, and give specific help if/when they get stuck.
 
  • #9
Yeah now I get it.It is really a great help.I love it.And thank you again.
 
  • #10
ayush solanki said:
I want to know that if we double the mass of the planets and our sun in the solar system,then will it make any difference in the orbits of the planets?will it be necessary to double the distance of each planet from sun?(I am asking it assuming that the sun on doubling of its mass,don't turn into a black hole,will it?)thank you.
If we were to instantly double the masses of all of the Sun and all of the planets in our solar system, and keep their current positions and velocities the same, then each planet would end up in a rather elongated elliptical orbit with its current position being close to its furthest distance. This may cause some planets' orbits to cross one another, and they may eventually collide or have close encounters which could place one or the other in a very different orbit.

Except for collisions or close encounters, most of the change in the orbits of the planets would be due to the doubling of the mass of the Sun.

In order to make it so that the orbits remain nearly circular, we'd need to either speed up the planets' orbits or increase their distances from the Sun. As phinds mentioned, the way to figure out how to do this is to balance centripetal acceleration with the gravitational force.
 
  • #11
OK thanks a lot.
 

What does it mean to double the mass of the planets and the sun of our solar system?

Doubling the mass of the planets and the sun of our solar system refers to increasing the amount of matter present in these celestial bodies by two times their original amount. This can have significant impacts on the gravitational pull, orbits, and overall stability of the solar system.

Why would someone want to double the mass of the planets and the sun of our solar system?

Scientists may want to double the mass of the planets and the sun in simulations or theoretical models to study the effects of increased mass on the solar system. This can help us better understand the formation and evolution of our own solar system, as well as other planetary systems in the universe.

What would happen if the mass of the planets and the sun were doubled?

If the mass of the planets and the sun were doubled, the gravitational pull of these bodies would increase, potentially altering the orbits of the planets and causing them to come closer or move further away from the sun. This could also affect the stability of the solar system and potentially lead to collisions between planets.

Is it possible to double the mass of the planets and the sun in reality?

No, it is not possible to physically double the mass of the planets and the sun in our solar system. The amount of matter present in these bodies is determined by the laws of physics and cannot be artificially altered. However, it is possible to simulate or model the effects of doubling their mass for scientific purposes.

What are the potential implications of doubling the mass of the planets and the sun?

Doubling the mass of the planets and the sun could have significant implications for the habitability of our solar system. It could potentially change the climate and conditions on each planet, making some more hospitable for life while others may become uninhabitable. It could also affect the overall stability and longevity of the solar system.

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