Question

Two identical stars with mass M orbit around their center of mass. Each orbit is circular...

Two identical stars with mass M orbit around their center of mass. Each orbit is circular and has radius R, so that the two stars are always on opposite sides of the circle.

A) Find the orbital speed of each star and the period of the orbit.

B) Suppose each identical mass for the binary stars is halved, then the orbital period would change by:

a. Remain the same

b. Change by a factor of 1/?2

c. Change by a factor of ?2

d. None of the above

Homework Answers

Answer #1

A) Distance between the two stars = Diameter of the circular orbit = 2R

Gravitational force of attraction between the two stars

To keep the star in circular orbit the gravitational force is balanced by

Orbital velocity of star is

Using

Time period of orbit is

B) Mass of each star is halved,

Time period of orbit is

Answer is c. Change by a factor of

Know the answer?
Your Answer:

Post as a guest

Your Name:

What's your source?

Earn Coins

Coins can be redeemed for fabulous gifts.

Not the answer you're looking for?
Ask your own homework help question
Similar Questions
URGENT!! PLEASE ANSER QUICKLY Two identical stars with mass ? orbit around their center of mass....
URGENT!! PLEASE ANSER QUICKLY Two identical stars with mass ? orbit around their center of mass. Each orbit is circular and has radius R, so that the two stars are always on the opposite sides of the circle. Find the period of the orbit and the orbital speed of each star.
A binary pulsar is a system of two neutron stars of equal mass (each about 1.4...
A binary pulsar is a system of two neutron stars of equal mass (each about 1.4 times the mass of the sun and a radius of 10km). A particular binary pulsar has two neutron stars orbiting around their center of mass, and separated by a (center to center) distance of d= 7.0*10^8m. Assume the orbit is circular. a) Calculate the orbital speed of the stars in meters/second. b) Calculate the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of one of the stars...
A binary star system consists of two equal mass stars that revolve in circular orbits about...
A binary star system consists of two equal mass stars that revolve in circular orbits about their center of mass. The period of the motion, T = 26.4 days, and the orbital speed v = 220 km/s of the stars can be measured from telescopic observations. What is the mass (kg) of each star? Best answer goes to the correct answer with steps thank you
(a) Using elementary Newtonian mechanics find the period of a mass m 1in a circular orbit...
(a) Using elementary Newtonian mechanics find the period of a mass m 1in a circular orbit of radius r around a fixed mass m 2. (b) Using the separation into CM and relative motions, find the corresponding period for the case that m 2is not fixed and the masses circle each other a constant distance r apart. Discuss the limit of this result if m 2oo. (c) What would be the orbital period if the earth were replaced by a...
Two stars M_1 and M_2 of equal mass make up a binary star system. They move...
Two stars M_1 and M_2 of equal mass make up a binary star system. They move in a circular orbit that has its center at the midpoint of the line that separates them. If M_1=M_2=5.45 sm (solar mass), and the orbital period of each star is 2.70 days, find their orbital speed. (The mass of the sun is 1.99x10^30kg). Point fully awarded to correct answer with full break-down of formulas that led to correct answer.
The spectral lines of two stars in a particular eclipsing binary system shift back and forth...
The spectral lines of two stars in a particular eclipsing binary system shift back and forth with a period of 7 months. The lines of both stars shift by equal amounts, and the amount of the Doppler shift indicates that each star has an orbital speed of 1.1×105 m/s relative to the other. What are the masses of the two stars? Assume that each of the two stars traces a circular orbit around their center of mass. (Hint: See Mathematical...
A satellite (mass m) is in circular orbit around Earth (mass M) with orbital period T....
A satellite (mass m) is in circular orbit around Earth (mass M) with orbital period T. What is the satellite’s distance r from the Earth’s center? Group of answer choices
A newly discovered planet follows a circular orbit around a star in a distant part of...
A newly discovered planet follows a circular orbit around a star in a distant part of the galaxy. The orbital speed of the planet is determined to be 43,400 m/s. The slower planet's orbital period is 2.40x10^8 s. a. What is the radius of the orbit of the planet? b. What is the mass of the star? (hint: is there a centripetal force? If so, what force i causing the centripetal force?)
Two neutron stars each have a mass of 1.5 solar masses. If they orbit around a...
Two neutron stars each have a mass of 1.5 solar masses. If they orbit around a common center of mass, each with a semimajor axis of 3AU, using Newton’s modification to Kepler’s 3rd Law, what is the period of the orbit in Earth years?
Three identical stars of mass (m) rotate in a perfect circle of radius (r) about their...
Three identical stars of mass (m) rotate in a perfect circle of radius (r) about their center of mass. If they are equally spaced out along this circle, such that the stars form an equilateral triangle, what is the period of their rotation (T)?