You Repeatedly Measure the Radial Velocity of What Seems to Be

question 47

Essay

You repeatedly measure the radial velocity of what seems to be a single main-sequence star like the Sun, but find that it is in fact orbiting in a tight orbit around another object that remains unseen. From measurement of the velocity and orbital period, you calculate that the unseen object has a mass 20 times that of the Sun-like star. Why might this object be a black hole?

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Definitions:

CS

Often used as an abbreviation for Computer Science, a field of study that encompasses the theory, experimentation, and engineering that form the basis for the design and use of computers.

Spontaneous Recovery

After a pause in exposure to the stimulus that originally elicited it, a previously vanished conditioned response once again manifests.

Extinction

Within psychology, it's the progressive decline and ultimate vanishing of a conditioned reaction because the conditioned stimulus is no longer associated with the unconditioned stimulus.

Allergy Attack

A sudden, acute allergic reaction to a substance (allergen) to which the body has become sensitized, leading to symptoms like sneezing, itching, and difficulty breathing.