Docsity
Docsity

Prepare for your exams
Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity


Earn points to download
Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan


Guidelines and tips
Guidelines and tips

10 Questions on Retrograde Motion in Astronomy - Homework 2 | PHYS 1040, Assignments of Physics

Material Type: Assignment; Class: PS/SI Elementary Astronomy; Subject: Physics; University: Weber State University; Term: Spring 2009;

Typology: Assignments

Pre 2010

Uploaded on 07/23/2009

koofers-user-jcv
koofers-user-jcv 🇺🇸

10 documents

1 / 1

Toggle sidebar

This page cannot be seen from the preview

Don't miss anything!

bg1
PHYS 1040 (Anger)
Spring 2009
Homework 2
Due Wednesday, January 21
Chapter 4:
1. In what direction does a planet move relative to the stars when it is in
direct motion? When it is in retrograde motion? How do these compare
with the direction in which we see the Sun move relative to the stars?
2. What is the significance of Occams razor as a tool for analyzing theories?
3. Is it ever possible to see Mercury at midnight? Explain your answer.
4. List and explain Keplers three laws.
5. A line joining the Sun and an asteroid is found to sweep out an area of 6.3
AU2 during 2010. How much area is swept out during 2011? Over a
period of five years?
6. Why does Venus have its largest angular diameter when it is new and its
smallest angular diameter when it is full?
7. What are Newtons three laws? Give an everyday example of each law.
8. What is the difference between weight and mass?
9. Suppose you traveled to a planet with 4 times the mass and 4 times the
diameter of the Earth. Would you weigh more or less on that planet than
on Earth? By what factor? (
Hint:
Consider the ratio of your weight on
Earth to your weight on the new planet.)
10. The average distance from the Moon to the center of the Earth is 384,400
km, and the diameter of the Earth is 12,756 km. Calculate the
gravitational force that the Moon exerts (a) on a 1-kg rock at the point on
the Earths surface closest to the moon and (b) on a 1-kg rock at the point
on the Earths surface farthest from the Moon. (c) Find the difference
between the two forces you calculated in parts (a) and (b). This difference
is the tidal force pulling these two rocks away from each other. Explain
why tidal forces cause only a small deformation of the Earth. (
Hint:
This
problem will be much easier if you draw and carefully label a picture of the
Earth/Moon system.)

Partial preview of the text

Download 10 Questions on Retrograde Motion in Astronomy - Homework 2 | PHYS 1040 and more Assignments Physics in PDF only on Docsity!

PHYS 1040 (Anger) Spring 2009 Homework 2 Due Wednesday, January 21 Chapter 4:

  1. In what direction does a planet move relative to the stars when it is in direct motion? When it is in retrograde motion? How do these compare with the direction in which we see the Sun move relative to the stars?
  2. What is the significance of Occam’s razor as a tool for analyzing theories?
  3. Is it ever possible to see Mercury at midnight? Explain your answer.
  4. List and explain Kepler’s three laws.
  5. A line joining the Sun and an asteroid is found to sweep out an area of 6. AU^2 during 2010. How much area is swept out during 2011? Over a period of five years?
  6. Why does Venus have its largest angular diameter when it is new and its smallest angular diameter when it is full?
  7. What are Newton’s three laws? Give an everyday example of each law.
  8. What is the difference between weight and mass?
  9. Suppose you traveled to a planet with 4 times the mass and 4 times the diameter of the Earth. Would you weigh more or less on that planet than on Earth? By what factor? ( Hint: Consider the ratio of your weight on Earth to your weight on the new planet.)
  10. The average distance from the Moon to the center of the Earth is 384, km, and the diameter of the Earth is 12,756 km. Calculate the gravitational force that the Moon exerts (a) on a 1-kg rock at the point on the Earth’s surface closest to the moon and (b) on a 1-kg rock at the point on the Earth’s surface farthest from the Moon. (c) Find the difference between the two forces you calculated in parts (a) and (b). This difference is the tidal force pulling these two rocks away from each other. Explain why tidal forces cause only a small deformation of the Earth. ( Hint: This problem will be much easier if you draw and carefully label a picture of the Earth/Moon system.)