Calculus (3rd Edition)

Published by W. H. Freeman
ISBN 10: 1464125260
ISBN 13: 978-1-46412-526-3

Chapter 14 - Calculus of Vector-Valued Functions - 14.6 Planetary Motion According to Kepler and Newton - Exercises - Page 751: 1

Answer

The data in the table supports Kepler's Third Law. The length of Jupiter's period: $T \simeq 11.89$ years

Work Step by Step

From the table below we see that the data support that ${T^2}/{a^3}$ has the same value for each planetary orbit, hence, it supports Kepler's Third Law. $\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {Planet}&{Mercury}&{Venus}&{Earth}&{Mars}\\ {a\left( {{{10}^{10}}m} \right)}&{5.79}&{10.8}&{15.0}&{22.8}\\ {T\left( {years} \right)}&{0.241}&{0.615}&{1.00}&{1.88}\\ {{a^3}}&{194.11}&{1259.71}&{3375.0}&{11852.4}\\ {{T^2}}&{0.058}&{0.378}&{1.00}&{3.53}\\ {{T^2}/{a^3}}&{0.000299}&{0.0003}&{0.000296}&{0.000298} \end{array}$ From the table we take $\frac{{{T^2}}}{{{a^3}}} \simeq 0.0003$. Assuming that $a = 77.8 \times {10^{10}}$ m for Jupiter, the length of its period is $T \simeq \sqrt {0.0003 \times {{\left( {77.8} \right)}^3}} \simeq 11.89$ years
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