Question

Sirius and its companion orbit around a common center of mass with a period of 50 years. The mass of Sirius is 2.35 times the mass of the Sun. If the orbital velocity of the companion is 2.35 times greater than that of Sirius, what is the mass of the companion?

Answer 1

Answer:

1 solar masses

Explanation:

-Sirius has to maintain equilibrium with it's companion.

-Let x be the mass of Sirius and y be the mass of it's companion.

-From the question, we know that Sirius is 2.35 times heavier than it's companion:

$\frac{x}{y}=2.35\\\\\frac{x}{y}=\frac{2.35}{1}$

Hence, the mass of it's companion is 1 solar masses