Phys 181 QUIZ 4 JULY 26, 2016

Please show all your work! Answers without supporting work will not be given credit. You have 30
minutes to complete this quiz.

Name:
1. Two identical stars with mass M orbit around their common center.
M Each orbit is circular and has radius R, so that the two stars are
always on opposite sides of the circle. They are termed as binary
R stars.
b
(a) Find the gravitational force of one star on the other in terms of
G, M and R.
(b) Find the acceleration of each star in terms of G, M and R.
(c) Find the orbital speed of each star in terms of G, M and R.
M
(d) Find the orbital period of each star in terms of G, M and R.

(The following formulae may be useful : F = G mr1 m

2
2
, F = ma, aR = v 2 /r, v = 2πr
T )

Solutions :
(a)
m1 m2 M2 M2
F =G = G = G
r2 (2R)2 4R2
(b)
M2 M
F = Ma = G =⇒ a = G 2
4R2 4R
(c) r
v2 M v2 GM
a= =⇒ G 2 = =⇒ v =
R 4R R 4R
(d) r
2πR R
T = = 4πR
v GM