Solving Planetary Motion: X & Y's Circular Orbits

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves planetary motion, specifically the circular orbits of two planets, X and Y, around a star. The ratio of their orbital radii is given as 5:2, and the task is to determine the angular displacement of planet Y after a specified time, given the angular displacement of planet X.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to relate the ratio of the radii to the angular velocities of the planets but expresses difficulty in applying this relationship correctly. Some participants suggest checking Kepler's third law as a potential avenue for clarification.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with some participants providing guidance on applying the ratio of radii to the problem. There is an acknowledgment of the complexity involved in the application of the laws of planetary motion, but no consensus has been reached on the correct approach yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working within the constraints of the problem statement and exploring the implications of Kepler's laws in relation to the given scenario. There is an indication that the original poster may be struggling with the application of these concepts.

lempkema
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Homework Statement



Planets X & Y travel in circular orbits around the same star. The ratio of the radii of their orbits is 5:2. 5 years after the planets were aligned, planet x has rotated 92.6 degrees. how many degrees has y traveled in the same amount of time?

Homework Equations



v^2=GM/R

Wx=phix/t; Wy=phiy/t

phix= angular of X after t time
phiy= angular of X after t time

The Attempt at a Solution



I just keep getting the wrong answer. I try transferring the ratio of radii to the angular velocities, but i must be doing it wrong.
 
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Check Kepler's third law.
 
thank you so much, that made to ratio a lot less difficult to apply!
 
Note, that third law can be derived from the F=GMm/r^2.
 

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