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Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Exam
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Subject
Physics
Chapter
The Special Theory of Relativity

Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] · Physics · The Special Theory of Relativity

Just outside the earth's atmosphere, energy from the sun arrives at...

Just outside the earth's atmosphere, energy from the sun arrives at a rate of 1400 W m−21400 \text{ W m}^{-2}. The distance separating the sun and the earth is 1.5×1011 m1.5 \times 10^{11} \text{ m}. If the present mass of the sun is 2×1030 kg2 \times 10^{30} \text{ kg}, determine how long the sun will last assuming a constant decay at this rate.

Options

  1. A1.44×1013 y1.44 \times 10^{13} \text{ y}
  2. B2.88×1013 y2.88 \times 10^{13} \text{ y}
  3. C5.76×1013 y5.76 \times 10^{13} \text{ y}
  4. D4.55×1020 y4.55 \times 10^{20} \text{ y}

Correct answer

A. 1.44×1013 y1.44 \times 10^{13} \text{ y}

Step-by-step solution

Total power radiated by the sun is given by P=S×4πR2P = S \times 4\pi R^2, where SS is the solar constant and RR is the distance between the sun and the earth.

P=1400×4π×(1.5×1011)2P = 1400 \times 4\pi \times (1.5 \times 10^{11})^2

P=1400×4π×2.25×1022=1.26π×1026 WP = 1400 \times 4\pi \times 2.25 \times 10^{22} = 1.26\pi \times 10^{26} \text{ W}

The rate of mass decay of the sun is obtained using Einstein's mass-energy equivalence, dmdt=Pc2\dfrac{dm}{dt} = \dfrac{P}{c^2}.

dmdt=1.26π×1026(3×108)2=1.26π×10269×1016=1.4π×109 kg s−1\dfrac{dm}{dt} = \dfrac{1.26\pi \times 10^{26}}{(3 \times 10^8)^2} = \dfrac{1.26\pi \times 10^{26}}{9 \times 10^{16}} = 1.4\pi \times 10^9 \text{ kg s}^{-1}

The time the sun will last is t=Mdm/dtt = \dfrac{M}{dm/dt}, where MM is the present mass of the sun.

t=2×10301.4π×109=10.7π×1021 s≈4.55×1020 st = \dfrac{2 \times 10^{30}}{1.4\pi \times 10^9} = \dfrac{1}{0.7\pi} \times 10^{21} \text{ s} \approx 4.55 \times 10^{20} \text{ s}

Converting the time from seconds to years using 1 y≈3.15×107 s1 \text{ y} \approx 3.15 \times 10^7 \text{ s}:

t=4.55×10203.15×107 y≈1.44×1013 yt = \dfrac{4.55 \times 10^{20}}{3.15 \times 10^7} \text{ y} \approx 1.44 \times 10^{13} \text{ y}
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