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

Question

Astronomers have observed a small, massive object at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. A ring of material orbits this massive object; the ring has a diameter of about 14 light years and an orbital speed of about 250km/s . Part A Determine the mass of the massive object at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Give your answer in kilograms. Express your answer using two significant figures. Part B Give your answer in solar masses (one solar mass is the mass of the sun). Express your answer using two significant figures. Part C Observations of stars, as well as theories of the structure of stars, suggest that it is impossible for a single star to have a mass of more than about 50 solar masses. Can this massive object be a single, ordinary star? Part D Many astronomers believe that the massive object at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is a black hole. If so, what must the Schwarzschild radius of this black hole be? Express your answer using two significant figures. Part E Would a black hole of this size fit inside the earth's orbit around the sun?

Explanation / Answer

a) 4.25e37 kg

b) 2.146e7 solar mass

c) NO,

The supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy is obviously far too big to be a single star. The reason it is supposed to be a black hole are that it is too compact (and massive) to be something else

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