Astronomers have observed a small, massive object at thecenter of our Milky Way

Question

Astronomers have observed a small, massive object at thecenter of our Milky Way galaxy. A ring of material orbits thismassive object; the ring has a diameter of about 15 light years andan orbital speed of about 200km/s.(Take the distance of one lightyear to be 9.461 X 10^15 m.) Determine the mass M of the massive object at the center ofthe Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers have observed a small, massive object at thecenter of our Milky Way galaxy. A ring of material orbits thismassive object; the ring has a diameter of about 15 light years andan orbital speed of about 200km/s.(Take the distance of one lightyear to be 9.461 X 10^15 m.) Determine the mass M of the massive object at the center ofthe Milky Way galaxy.

Explanation / Answer

G M m / R2 = m v2 /R      gravitational attraction =centripetal force M = R v2 / G 1 L-y = 3 * 10E8 * 3.16 * 10E7 = 9.47 * 15 m   (sec / yr * c) R = 15 / 2 * 9.47 * 10E15 = 7.10 * 10E16 M = 7.1 * 10E16 * (2 * 10E5)2 / 6.67 * 10E-11 =4.26 * 10E37 kg (about 21 million solar masses)

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.