Essay Questions


1		Measure approximately the distance from where you live to the neighboring building by triangulation. Make a scale drawing, perhaps letting 1/4 inch be 1 foot, and choose a base line. Construct a scale triangle on your drawing and find how far apart the buildings are.



2		Would it be easier to measure a star's parallax from Pluto? Why?



3		Suppose a binary star's orbit is in a plane perpendicular to our line of sight. Can we measure its mass using the methods described in this chapter? Why?



4		Use the data in table 12.6 below to plot an H-R diagram. Which star is a red giant? Which is a white dwarf? Note: Plotting will be much easier if you plot the logarithm of the luminosity; that is, express it in powers of 10 and use the power. For example, if the luminosity is 100, plot it as 2 for 10². Alternatively, use a pocket calculator as follows. Enter the luminosity in solar units and hit the "log" key. If the luminosity is 300,000, the answer you get should be 5.477. . . . table 12.6

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