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Our sun is 2.3 X 10^4 light-years from the center of our Milky Way galaxy and is moving in a circle around the center at a speed of 250 km/s. (a) How long does it take the Sun to make one revolution about the galactic center? (b) How many revolutions has the Sun completed since it was formed about 4.5 X 10^9 years ago? What equations would you use to solve this, and can you explain your answer?

2006-11-11 10:43:31 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics Physics

4 answers

For a, calculate the circumference of the circle : 2pi * 2.3E4 * 1 light year in km. To find the latter, multiply the speed of light, 3E5 km/s, times the number of seconds in a year. Then divide this distance by v, 250 km/s, and you get the time in s for 1 revolution.
For b, divide the age of the sun in years by answer a, the time for 1 revolution, which you must convert to years.

2006-11-11 10:57:34 · answer #1 · answered by kirchwey 7 · 2 1

The sun's tangential speed as a fraction of c is 250 km/s / (3 e8 m/s) or about 1/1200 c.

Since a light year is the distance light travels in a year, and the circumference of the orbit is 2 * pi * 2.3 E4 light years, then it must take 2 * pi * 2.3 E4 / (1/1200) or 1.73 E8 years for an orbit. Therefore there have been almost 26 orbits.

2006-11-11 11:18:53 · answer #2 · answered by AnswerMan 4 · 0 0

Rotate = spin; turn like a real. Earth rotates once in 24 hours. The solar rotates over a era of 25-36 days, searching on decision. Revolve = orbit; shuttle in a course round something. when it comes to the solar, Earth revolves in an ellipse. besides the undeniable fact that, thinking the solar's action, we are vacationing in a sine wave with a era of a three hundred and sixty 5 days, and a length of about 40 astronomical contraptions (AU). In answer for your question (in case you meant to ask what the solar is revolving round): the solar is vacationing by area at about an similar % (40 AU in step with three hundred and sixty 5 days) as our sister stars contained in the galaxy. to assert that we are revolving around the middle of the galaxy is a stretch of the mind's eye. when it comes to the mass of the galaxy, we may shuttle in a huge ellipse, a lot an similar because the Earth in her image voltaic device, yet once you concentration on the action of the galaxy by area, the solar is vacationing in a sine wave with a era of about 224 million years. to assert that the solar revolves around the middle of the galaxy is oversimplification, and a good huge black hollow on the middle is conjecture in holding with delusion math it really is in style, though.

2016-11-29 01:23:18 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

We are 3/4 the way around on our 3rd or 4th trip, it takes approx 2 1/2 million years to go around each time.

2006-11-11 10:46:13 · answer #4 · answered by fantasticopinionsfree 3 · 0 0

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