consider a planet orbiting a sun-like star that has been detected by the doppler and that has an orbital period of one year. the larger the velocity changes measured for the star, the __________.
The larger the velocity changes measured for the star, the larger the mass of the planet orbiting it.
The Doppler effect can be used to detect exoplanets by measuring the small variations in the velocity of the star caused by the gravitational pull of the planet as it orbits around it. When a planet orbits a star, it exerts a gravitational force on the star, causing it to undergo a slight back-and-forth motion. This motion results in periodic changes in the star’s radial velocity, which can be measured using the Doppler effect.
According to Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation, the magnitude of this radial velocity variation is directly proportional to the mass of the planet and inversely proportional to the mass of the star. Therefore, when the velocity changes measured for the star are larger, it indicates that the gravitational influence of the planet is stronger, implying a larger mass for the planet.
In other words, the Doppler measurements of the star’s velocity changes provide valuable information about the presence and characteristics of the planet orbiting it. By analyzing these velocity variations, astronomers can deduce the mass of the planet and gather insights into its composition and orbital dynamics.