Homework Help: Asteroid orbit physics problem

Brittykitty · Mar 22, 2010

An asteroid is orbiting around the sun at a distance of 4.2x 1011 m. If the Earth orbits around the Sun at a distance of 1.5 x 1011 m with a period of 3.2 x107 s, what is the period of the asteroid?

Im thinking it was 9.0 x 10^7 s ?

mgb_phys · Mar 22, 2010

Re: Asteroid

Do you have a reason for thinking that?
Is it the same reason that Kepler had?

alexk307 · Mar 22, 2010

Re: Asteroid

use kepler's laws. R^3/T^2 is always constant when orbiting the same parent body.

Brittykitty · Mar 22, 2010

Re: Asteroid

Hello,

So it would be (1.5x10^11) ^3 / (3.2 x10^7) ?

Brittykitty · Mar 22, 2010

Re: Asteroid

Hello,

So it would be (1.5x10^11) ^3 / (3.2 x10^7) ?

alexk307 · Mar 22, 2010

Re: Asteroid

An asteroid is orbiting around the sun at a distance of 4.2x 1011 m. If the Earth orbits around the Sun at a distance of 1.5 x 1011 m with a period of 3.2 x107 s, what is the period of the asteroid?

Im thinking it was 9.0 x 10^7 s ?

(4.2x10^11)^3/(t^2) = (1.5x10^11)^3/(3.2x10^7)^2

I'm looking at 1.5x10^8 sec.

Brittykitty · Mar 22, 2010

Re: Asteroid

Ooo I get it now! wow, thank you soo much :):):) I don't know how I didn't see that from the beginning