contestada

The comet hale-bopp has a period of about 3000 years. what is its mean distance from the sun in au (astronomical units)? (note that the earth has period of about 1 year and a distance of 1au from the sun.)

Respuesta :

As we know by Kepler's law

Square of time period is always proportional to the cube of time period

it is given by

[tex]\frac{T_1^2}{T_2^2} = \frac{r_1^3}{r_2^3}[/tex]

here we have

T1 = 3000 years

r1 = distance of comet

T2 = 1 year

r2 = 1AU

now by above equation we will have

[tex]\frac{3000^2}{1^2} = \frac{r_1^3}{1^3}[/tex]

[tex]9*10^6 = r_1^3[/tex]

[tex]r_1 = 208 AU[/tex]

so the distance of comet will be 208 AU.