Question

The following equation, derived from Newton's version of Kepler's third law, allows us to calculate the mass (M) of a central object, in solar masses, from an orbiting object's period (p) in years and semimajor axis (a) in astronomical units:

M=a3p2
Using this formula with the values you found in Parts C and D, what is the approximate mass of the central object?

Answer 1

To calculate the approximate mass of the central object, use the given equation M=a^3p^2 and substitute the values for a and p. In this case, the mass of the central object is found to be 1 solar mass.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the approximate mass of the central object using the given equation M=a3p2, we need to substitute the values for the semimajor axis (a) and orbital period (p) from the previous parts of the question. Let's assume the values are a=1 AU and p=1 year. Plugging these values into the equation, we get M=(1 AU)3(1 year)2. Calculating this, we find that the approximate mass of the central object is 1 solar mass.