You Observe a Binary Star System and Find That Star

question 44

Essay

You observe a binary star system and find that star 1 has a velocity of 20 m/s while star 2 has a velocity of 40 m/s.What is the ratio of masses of the two stars (M₁/M₂)? If you find that the separation of the two stars is 0.5 AU and the orbital period is 70 days, then what are the individual masses of the two stars?

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Definitions:

System of Linear Equations

A set of linear equations with the same variables; the solution is the set of values that satisfies all equations simultaneously.

Matrix

A rectangular array of numbers or expressions arranged in rows and columns that can be used to solve systems of linear equations, among other applications.

Linear Inequalities

Algebraic expressions that deal with the comparison of linear expressions, using inequality signs like <, >, ≤, or ≥.

Graph

A graphic representation illustrating the framework of associations or linkages between several entities by utilizing unique elements such as dots, lines, and bars.