The Orbit of Hale-Bopp Comet, Discovered in 1995 , Is $0.995$

question 117

Multiple Choice

The orbit of Hale-Bopp comet, discovered in 1995 , is an ellipse with eccentricity $0.995$ and one focus at the Sun. The length of its major axis is $366.5 \mathrm { AU }$ . [An astronomical unit (AU) is the mean distance between Earth and the Sun, about 93 million miles.] Find the maximum distance from the comet to the Sun. (The perihelion distance from a planet to the Sun is $a ( 1 - e )$ and the aphelion distance is $a ( 1 + e )$ .) Find the answer in $\mathrm { AU }$ and round to the nearest hundredth.

• A) \(372.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• B) \(370.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• C) \(365.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• D) \(368.58 \mathrm { AU }\)
• E) \(374.58 \mathrm { AU }\)

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Definitions:

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Divided Attention

The mental ability to process multiple sources of information simultaneously or switch focus among varying stimuli.

Attention Switching

The process of shifting focus from one task or stimulus to another, which plays a vital role in cognitive flexibility and multitasking abilities.

Automatic Task

A task performed with little or no conscious effort or control, often because it has been practiced to the point of automatization.