Question

1. This spiral wishing well is a great way to demonstrate a gravity field. Explain how the well is a good representation of a gravitational field AND how it is an incorrect representation of a gravitational field.

2. Imagine a proton (mass = 1.67 x 10-27 kg) and an electron (mass = 9.11 x10-31 kg) are moving up this page at the same speed, side by side. At some point in their travels, they run into an electric field that is pointed to the right. What happens to the paths of the proton and electron when they enter this field? Will the proton be moving faster or the electron?





3. Halley’s Comet will be visible from the Earth again in 2062. This comet is famous for it’s beautiful tail and easy visibility from Earth. Explain using Einstein’s explanation of Gravity why the comet only appears every 76 years.



4.Other than the examples listed in the previous questions, where else have you come across the topics we have discussed in class this week? Be specific!

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

A spiral wishing well can be a good representation of a gravitational field in the sense that it demonstrates how objects are attracted to a central point, which is similar to how objects are attracted to a massive object in a gravitational field. The well also shows how the force of gravity increases as objects get closer to the center, which is consistent with the inverse square law of gravity. However, the well is an incorrect representation of a gravitational field in the sense that it is not a three-dimensional representation of the field, but rather a two-dimensional representation. Additionally, the well does not take into account the fact that gravity is a force that acts between all objects with mass, not just those that are close to a central point.

When the proton and electron enter the electric field that is pointed to the right, the proton will be deflected to the right and the electron will be deflected to the left. This is because the proton has a positive charge and the electron has a negative charge, and opposite charges are attracted to each other. The proton and electron will move at the same speed because the electric field does not affect their speed, only their direction of motion.

According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, the orbit of Halley's Comet is determined by the curvature of spacetime caused by the mass of the sun and other celestial bodies. The comet follows an elliptical orbit around the sun, with the sun at one of the foci of the ellipse. The shape of the orbit is determined by the mass of the sun, the distance of the comet from the sun, and the velocity of the comet.

The period of the orbit of Halley's Comet is 76 years, which means that the comet takes 76 years to complete one orbit around the sun. This period is determined by the distance of the comet from the sun, the mass of the sun, and the velocity of the comet. The further the comet is from the sun, the longer the period of its orbit. As the comet approaches the sun, its ices start to vaporize and create a bright tail that can be seen from Earth.

In summary, Einstein's theory of general relativity explains that Halley's Comet only appears every 76 years because of the shape of its orbit around the sun, which is determined by the mass of the sun and the distance of the comet from the sun, as well as the velocity of the comet. The orbit is an elliptical one and the distance from the sun causes the vaporization of ices which make the tail visible from Earth.