Orion:Star Identification

The Distance from earth

Rigel (beta)​ - Rigel is 772 light years away from earth

Betelgeuse (alpha)​ – 642.5 light years away from earth

Bellatrix (gamma)​ – 244.6 light years away from earth

Alnilam (epsilon)​ – 1344 light year away from earth

When did the light leave the star that we see now?

Rigel​- 772 years ago (1248)

Betelgeuse​- 643 years ago (1377)

Bellatrix​- 245 years ago (1775)

Alnilam​- 1344 years ago (676)

How does the size of each star compare to our

Sun?

Rigel​ - Mass is 18 times greater than the sun

and 74 times greater in radius.

Betelgeuse​ - Mass is between 7.7-20 times

greater than the Sun and 950-1200 times the
radius. This star changes shapes frequently.

Bellatrix ​- Mass is 8.4 times greater and 5.7

times greater in radius.

Alnilam​- Mass is 30 times bigger than the

sun and a radius of 32.4 times that of the sun.

What is the luminosity of each star compared to our Sun?

Betelgeuse ​- 120,000±30,000 x brighter than the sun

Rigel ​- 1.5 x 10​5​ x​ brighter than the sun

Bellatrix​ - 6400 x brighter than the sun

Alnilam​- 375.000 x brighter than the sun (it is the brightest star in Orion belt)

Part two: Equation Analysis

Question 1- Equation 1: E= mc​2

E= Energy is a Variable

M= Mass is a Variable

C= is the speed of light through a vacuum and it is a constant

Question 2-What is the size of C​2​?

Speed of light is 299792 kilometers per second.

3x10​8​ m/s
Question 3 - Are mass and energy related?

Yes. If Energy ​=​ Mass(c​2​) then solving for the mass(M) yields M= Energy/(c​2​). The equation shows that
they are related.

Question 4- ​Analyze the statement: “if it is possible to change mass into energy a little bit of mass
could produce a lot of energy”. Is it true or not? Provide a brief explanation based on your analysis
of the equation

Yes, I think it is true because the speed of light (c) which is a constant, is being multiplied by the mass of
an object. Since c is a relatively enormous number, even a small mass that is multiplied by c can equal a
large amount of energy. This is even before c is squared.

Equation 2: ​ d = (gt​2​)/2​
d ​=​ distance an object falls when released from rest (no air resistance)

g ​= a​ cceleration of gravity at the Earth’s surface

t ​=​ time an object has been falling

Question 5

​Which of the following statements do you agree with and why? Use the equation to support your answer
(you can also refer to the learning from equations module files).

a) Heavy objects fall faster than lighter objects

I do not agree with this one since the weight of an object is W​=​MG. The accelerator, gravity, is the same
for all objects regardless of their mass.

b) Objects fall at the same speed (if no air resistance) and weight doesn’t matter.

I do agree with this one. Weight (W​=​MG). Once again gravity is the accelerator, and is independent of
weight.

Question 6​ ​Velocity =​ x

Which of the following statements do you agree with and why? Use the equation to support your
answer (you can also refer to the learning from equations module files).

v ​=​ velocity of a falling object if released from rest (no air resistance)

g ​=​ acceleration of gravity at Earth’s surface

t ​=​ time the object has been falling

a) Heavy objects fall faster than lighter objects

I disagree with this one because acceleration(gravity) and time are used in the equation. Weight is not
even a variable in the equation.
b) Objects fall at the same speed (if no air resistance) and weight doesn’t matter.

I agree with this one since acceleration (g) and time are used in the equation. Weight once again is not
used in the equation.

Question 7

​ or most of recorded history, people thought that heavy objects naturally and under all conditions
F
fall faster than lighter objects. Why did it take us so long to realize the true state of affairs?

A lighter object can be easily affected by air resistance, depending on their aerodynamic qualities. For
example a feather has a harder time moving through the air than a hammer. But if you had 2 cannon balls
and one of them was 10 times heavier than the other, they would fall at the same rate. They are affected
by air resistance similarly. I think it took us so long to figure this all out because we did not fully
understand the facts about air molecules. Also due to technology, we are able to see when something is
falling at the same rate or different rates. Whereas back in the day, they had to eyeball it and this was not
always accurate and limited their ability to review the results.

Question 8 - The Earth’s gravity DOES exert a greater force on heavier objects than lighter ones
(these forces are called weight). However, with no air resistance objects fall at the same speed in a
given gravity field. The weight difference can be thousands of pounds to one and the objects still fall
at the same speed. What physical property of mass compensates for the difference in applied
forces?

The mass of an object unlike its weight is unaffected by gravity therefore both objects are affected equally
by gravity.

Part 3 learning about a law of physics

ΣF = 0 ⇔ dv / dt = 0

Where,

F = Force

dv = Change in Velocity

dt = Change in Time
Newton’s first law of motion is when an object is at rest it stays at rest but, when an object is in motion it
will stay in motion at the same speed and direction unless it is acted upon by another force. This means
that objects will continue in their current state until an outside force comes and acts on the object.

The first example that comes to my mind is when a car brakes. If the car slams on brakes, then your body
will keep the momentum that you had before the braking force was applied. You will be propelled
forward, but forces from your seat and the seat belt will make you stop with the car.

The second example involves a car again. If you are stopped on a flat road, and in neutral, the car will not
move. It is only when the car is shifted into drive, or reverse, or pulled by a horse, that it will begin to
move. There are several other cases that can make the car move, an army of sheep can push or pull the
car. The point is, it will only move when unequal forces are acting upon it.

The third example can come from analyzing boats in the water. There is almost always wind, or a current,
or other boats passing to disrupt the water. These outside forces can act on any boat that is floating and
yield unbalanced forces. Thus having the boat move around while in water and not staying in one specific
spot.

Fermi's Paradox
In the 1940’s, several atomic scientists were talking, and the conversation went to extraterrestrial
life. Enrico Fermi was one of the scientists in the group. It is said that he asked an extraterrestrial
question, wanting to know where everyone was? With the billions of planets in the universe that
can support life and all of the intelligent species, why haven’t any of them visited earth? This is
known as Fermi’s Paradox. It is classified as a paradox due to the contradictory nature of this
proposition.

Fermi knew that any race with rocket technology could quickly inhabit the spacious vast galaxy.
John von Neumann proposed the idea of self-reproducing automaton in the 1950’s. A device was
able to perform tasks and duplicate like bacteria. To learn about the galaxy a Bracewell-von
Neumann probe. The probe could travel slowly between the stars. When it reached its target it
could find material and make a copy.

As old as the Galaxy was, Fermi realized that aliens could be all over, but he had not received
any verification of any existence of aliens.

4 possible resolutions to the paradox

One resolution is that they are here and have left evidence, but have chosen not to be seen. Their
sophisticated technology has allowed them to travel the stars, and has kept us from seeing them as they
observe us. They might be interested in seeing how we develop and exist, as well as how our technology
evolves.

Another possible resolution is that they exist but haven’t communicated. They haven’t been able to reach
us either from distance of the communication being slowed down because of the speed of light. Perhaps
they don’t want to communicate with us or they have been trying and we don’t know how to listen.

A third solution is that they do not exist. There is an idea that we are the first life in the Galaxy and they
are non-existent. Life is rare and takes time. They have not evolved to this point of life. It has even been
thought that they only have a limited life and are all dead. Perhaps the planets don’t have the right
conditions for being a habitable area.

Maybe they have a Fermi’s Paradox of their own and they are hiding. They feel there has to be other older
civilizations. They have decided that they don’t want to make any contact and they are in hiding.
However, there is also the possibility that they are fearful of another civilization wiping them out. It
could be a threat to their history and civilization. War and disease could also play a part in the threat.
Going unnoticed is their goal.