How to solve planet orbital question

In summary, the conversation is about a question on a physics test where the task was to find the mass of a star based on the radius and time it took for a planet to complete one revolution around it. The person used a formula to calculate the speed and then solved for the mass. They got a result of x 10^30 kg. They asked for confirmation if their method was correct, and their friend used a slightly different formula to solve the same question. Both methods are valid and yield the same result.
  • #1
HelloMotto
74
0
Ok I remeber a question on my physics test. where there's a planet orbiting a star in some other solar system.

heres what was given to me.
the radius,and the time it took for it to finish 1 revolution. I was asked to find the mass of the sun, that the planet was orbiting around

so here's what i did.

I calculated the distance, which was 2 pi r.

I divided that value by time and got the speed.

then i used Fc=FG formula.
mv^2/r = Gm1m2/r^2

with some cancellations, I am left with
v^2=Gm(star)/r

so i just isolated for m and solved it. I remember i got like some number x 10^30kg.

but did i do this question right? was this the right method of solving it?
 
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  • #2
Sounds reasonable, the sun's mass is around 2^30 kg
 
  • #3
i asked my friend how he had solved it, and he said he used
Fc=FG
4pi^2mr/T^2 = Gm1m2/r^2

does my method and his method work in this question?
 
  • #4
It's the same thing, you can also use T = 2 [tex]\pi \sqrt{ ( r^3 / GM )}[/tex]
 

What is the formula for calculating planet orbital period?

The formula for calculating planet orbital period is:
T = 2π√(a^3/GM)
Where T is the orbital period in seconds, a is the semi-major axis in meters, G is the gravitational constant, and M is the mass of the central body in kilograms.

How do I determine the semi-major axis of a planet's orbit?

The semi-major axis of a planet's orbit can be determined by measuring the distance between the planet and its central body at the closest and farthest points of its orbit, and then calculating the average of these two distances.

What is the difference between orbital period and orbital velocity?

Orbital period refers to the time it takes for a planet to complete one full orbit around its central body, while orbital velocity refers to the speed at which the planet is moving in its orbit. They are related by the formula:
v = 2πa/T
Where v is the orbital velocity in meters per second, a is the semi-major axis in meters, and T is the orbital period in seconds.

How does the mass of a planet's central body affect its orbit?

The mass of a planet's central body has a direct effect on the planet's orbit. The greater the mass of the central body, the greater the gravitational pull it exerts on the planet, resulting in a shorter orbital period and a higher orbital velocity.

What is Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion?

Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion states that the square of a planet's orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of its semi-major axis. In other words, the farther a planet is from its central body, the longer its orbital period will be.

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