ASTR 300A HW2

Sai Krishanth PM
December 20, 2020

1
a. We can start by counting how many breaths we are taking every minute. We can then
get the number of breaths per second. Using the average mass of air expelled for one
breath and the percentage of CO2 in that breath, we can find the amount of CO2 that
one person breathes out per second. Multiplying this by the population of the world
gives the total CO2 expelled per second.

b. Assuming continuous swimming without a break, we will have to start with how far
one stroke would take the swimmer. Using this length, we can calculate the number
of strokes to cross the Atlantic. Now, the average calories used per stroke is very close
to 1, including maintaining body heat and other functions. The rest of the calculation
depends purely on what food is being taken. The least amount would probably come
from peanut butter.

c. Earth currently has an elliptical orbit. I will assume that the minimum criteria for
de-stability would come from the orbit turning into a parabolic one. Then using the
increase in velocity required to get to that orbit, we can calculate the gravitational
influence of another star. This can then give us the distance to the second star.

2
Let us start with:
dL
=0
dt
We know that:
L = m|r × v|
Substituting into our last equation, we have:

d(r × v)
m
dt
We can expand this using the product rule:
dr dv
m × v + mr ×
dt dt
Simplifying and rewriting the first and second terms:

m(v × v) + m(r × a)

Since the cross product of a vector with itself is zero, our RHS turns into:

m(r × a)

Which can be rewritten as:

r × ma
And from Newton’s second law, we can rewrite ma = F, and so:

L=r×F

1
3
a. The dimensions of l are [L2 /T], v are [L/T], and G are [L3 /MT2 ]. Using algebra, we
find that v scales as GM
l

b. Let us first rewrite the given expression in terms of a substitution u = 1/r and l:

d d cosφ
rcosφ = lu2 ( )
dt dφ u
Now we can use the product rule and get:
du
−lcosφ − lusinφ
dφ
Now we substitute r back in:
d 1 l
−lcosφ ( ) − sinφ
dφ r r
Using the equation given in the question, we can now rewrite this in the form of this
very complicated equation:

d 1 + ecosφ lsinφ(1 + ecosφ)

−lcosφ ( 2 )−
dφ l /GM l2 /GM

Simplifying this, we end up with the expression:

GM sinφ
vx = −
l

c. Repeating the steps in the last problem, but instead using rsinφ, we get the following
expression for the y component of the velocity:

GM (e + cosφ)
vy =
l

d. We must use vector addition to add the x and y components of the velocity:
s
2 2
GM sinφ GM (e + cosφ)
 
v= − +
l l
Simplifying, we get:
GM q
v= 1 + e2 + 2ecosφ
l
GM
e. The difference between the maximum and minimum velocities is given by l
2e

4
a.
q
l= GM a(1 − e2 )

b. The area of an ellipse is given by:

A = πab
We also know that for an ellipse:
√
b = a 1 − e2

Therefore the area is: √

A = πa2 1 − e2

2
c. Let us start with:
dA l
=
dt 2
Substituting the expression for l:
dA 1q
= GM a(1 − e2 )
dt 2
We can now rewrite this in an integrable form, integrating with respect to A on the
LHS and with respect to t on the RHS. This then gives us the following expression:
s
a3
t = 2π
GM

d. The answer of part c gives us the orbital period.