AU If the comet last came closes
Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN:9780134746241
Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Chapter1: The Study Of Minerals
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1LR
Related questions
Question
100%
![A comet has an orbital period of 78 years. What is its average distance (in AU) from the Sun?
[Blank space for answer] AU
If the comet last came closest to the Sun in 1982, when will it reach its furthest point from the Sun? (Enter your answer as a date in years.)
[Blank space for answer]](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Fda14446f-ef4d-47d5-9b14-b7a32b5fa1b1%2F45f0a474-c0a1-45ab-9d7d-7f2403e74238%2Fomt2ghp_processed.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:A comet has an orbital period of 78 years. What is its average distance (in AU) from the Sun?
[Blank space for answer] AU
If the comet last came closest to the Sun in 1982, when will it reach its furthest point from the Sun? (Enter your answer as a date in years.)
[Blank space for answer]
Expert Solution

Step 1
Kepler's third law states that the planets' orbital periods' square is directly proportional to the semi-major axes' cubes and their orbits. It also states that a planet's period to orbit the sun increases rapidly with its orbit's radius. Short-period comets are the ones having an orbital period of fewer than 200 years. It is also known as the periodic comet.
Step 2
- The third law of Kepler relates the orbital period T in years to the semi-major axis distance in AU using the equation . If T=78 years then R=18.26AU
- Given,
The comet last came closest to the sun in 1982.
We know that short period comets take 200 years or less to complete one orbit, and long-period comets take more than 200 years.
As the given comet is a short-period comet, the time it takes to reach the sun's furthest point is around 1982+200=2182.
Step by step
Solved in 3 steps

Recommended textbooks for you

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science …
Earth Science
ISBN:
9780134746241
Author:
Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:
PEARSON

Exercises for Weather & Climate (9th Edition)
Earth Science
ISBN:
9780134041360
Author:
Greg Carbone
Publisher:
PEARSON

Environmental Science
Earth Science
ISBN:
9781260153125
Author:
William P Cunningham Prof., Mary Ann Cunningham Professor
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science …
Earth Science
ISBN:
9780134746241
Author:
Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:
PEARSON

Exercises for Weather & Climate (9th Edition)
Earth Science
ISBN:
9780134041360
Author:
Greg Carbone
Publisher:
PEARSON

Environmental Science
Earth Science
ISBN:
9781260153125
Author:
William P Cunningham Prof., Mary Ann Cunningham Professor
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education

Earth Science (15th Edition)
Earth Science
ISBN:
9780134543536
Author:
Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:
PEARSON

Environmental Science (MindTap Course List)
Earth Science
ISBN:
9781337569613
Author:
G. Tyler Miller, Scott Spoolman
Publisher:
Cengage Learning

Physical Geology
Earth Science
ISBN:
9781259916823
Author:
Plummer, Charles C., CARLSON, Diane H., Hammersley, Lisa
Publisher:
Mcgraw-hill Education,