physics help

Question

 Venus has an orbital period of 2 to 4.7 days and I mean orbital radius of 1.08×10 to the power of 11 m. Using this information , Determine the mass of the sun. Show your work please. 

Answer 1

I will set this up and you can crunch out the numbers.

 

First, the orbital period of Venus around the sun is much larger than the number given in the problem statement!  Call it T.

 

R = mean orbital radius (given)

 

M = mass of sun = ?

 

G = universal constant of gravitation (look up)

 

Kepler's third law:

 

T² = (4π² / GM) R³

 

If you know T, G, and R, you can solve for M.

 

M = 4π²R³ / GT²