Brayden Houston

Part I
1) Its name
Vega
2) Distance from Earth in light years (a light year is how far light can travel through the vacuum
of space moving at 670 million miles per hour for a year. By everyday standards a light year is
an enormous distance)
25 ly
3) When the light from the star now visible in the skies of Earth actually left the star (if a star is
10 light years away its light now visible in the skies of Earth left that star 10 years ago in 2002)
Because Vega is 25 ly away this means the light visible now has been traveling to us since
about 1990 and the light leaving now will not be here until 2040.
4) Its size compared to the Sun (you can do the comparison using the stars radius to the Suns
radius or the stars volume to the Suns volume)
Vega has a radius of about 1,960,000 km while the sun has a radius of about 695,800 km. Vega
is larger than the Sun.
5) The stars luminosity compared to the Sun (luminosity is a measure of brightness)
Vega has a brightness of 40.12 0.45 L compared to the Sun at 3.7510^28 L.

1) Its name
Beta Lyrae or Lyrae
2) Distance from Earth in light years (a light year is how far light can travel through the vacuum
of space moving at 670 million miles per hour for a year. By everyday standards a light year is
an enormous distance)
960 50 ly
3) When the light from the star now visible in the skies of Earth actually left the star (if a star is
10 light years away its light now visible in the skies of Earth left that star 10 years ago in 2002)
This means that the light we can see from this star now has been traveling since 1055 and that
the light leaving the star now will be visible in 2975.
4) Its size compared to the Sun (you can do the comparison using the stars radius to the Suns
radius or the stars volume to the Suns volume)
The bigger star in this binary system has a radius of C. The smaller has a radius of 6.0 0.2
R. Bigger than the Sun.
5) The stars luminosity compared to the Sun (luminosity is a measure of brightness)
The larger star is about 26,300 L and the smaller is about 6,500 L, compared to the Sun at
3.7510^28 L.

1) Its name
Kepler-37
2) Distance from Earth in light years (a light year is how far light can travel through the vacuum
of space moving at 670 million miles per hour for a year. By everyday standards a light year is
an enormous distance)
215 ly
3) When the light from the star now visible in the skies of Earth actually left the star (if a star is
10 light years away its light now visible in the skies of Earth left that star 10 years ago in 2002)
This means that the light we can see from this star now has been traveling since 1800 and that
the light leaving the star now will be visible in 2230.
4) Its size compared to the Sun (you can do the comparison using the stars radius to the Suns
radius or the stars volume to the Suns volume)
0.770 0.026[2] R. It is smaller the Sun.
5) The stars luminosity compared to the Sun (luminosity is a measure of brightness)
The sun has a greater luminosity.

1) Its name
RR Lyrae
2) Distance from Earth in light years (a light year is how far light can travel through the vacuum
of space moving at 670 million miles per hour for a year. By everyday standards a light year is
an enormous distance)
860 40 ly
3) When the light from the star now visible in the skies of Earth actually left the star (if a star is
10 light years away its light now visible in the skies of Earth left that star 10 years ago in 2002)
This means that the light we can see from this star now has been traveling since 1155 and that
the light leaving the star now will be visible in 2875.
4) Its size compared to the Sun (you can do the comparison using the stars radius to the Suns
radius or the stars volume to the Suns volume)
5.1 to 5.6R. Larger than the Sun
5) The stars luminosity compared to the Sun (luminosity is a measure of brightness)
49 5L compared to the Sun at 3.7510^28 L.

Part II
Equation 1: E = mc2
Question 1: Find out what the things in this equation (using your book or a net search will do it)
are and identify them as either variables or constants.
Energy (E) equals mass (m) multiplied by the speed of light (c) squared.
Question 2: What is the size of c2?
The speed of light squared is about 8.98755179 1016 m2 / s2
Question 3: Are mass and energy related? Answer yes or no and then provide a brief
explanation of your answer based on the analysis of the equation.
Yes. The relation can be seen in this equation. A greater mass will result in a greater
output of energy.
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. It doesn't have to be super complex and you dont need to solve the
equation; just use the equation in a straightforward way (for help, consult me or the tutorial files
in the learning from equation module in canvas.
If it is possible to change mass into energy then a small amount of mass could indeed be
the source of a great deal of energy. Object of greater and greater masses would in turn be the
sources of even greater stores of energy when applied to the equation of E= mc 2.
Equation 2: E = -mc2
Question 5. Is the mass m ever negative?
The mass itself is not negative however it is when plugged into this equation.
Question 6. Is c ever negative (hint: remember that c is a velocity and as such has a magnitude
and a direction. Positive and negative can be used to designate direction)?
Yes a negative c value could indicate a regressive direction.
Question 7. Can c2 ever be negative?
No. Squaring a negative value would yield a positive value and squaring a positive
yields a positive.
Question 8. Given your previous answers, can mc2 ever be negative?
No

Equation 3: +-E = mc2

Question 9. Is energy ever actually negative (can something have a negative energy of
existence)?
Energy
Question 10. Does energy ever have a direction (is it scalar or vector)?
Energy is scalar.
Question 11. Can the negative on the left hand side of the equation ever mean a direction for
energy?
No
Question 12. Some scientists thought that this negative sign was just a mathematical oddity or
scrap that had no physical meaning. Why might they think that? (Use your previous answers)
Energy is the ability to do work. It would be impossible to do anything with negative
ability to do work.
Question 13. Is the negative sign actually meaningless or does this mathematical peculiarity
actually mean something? If so, what?
Perhaps it was a reference to work done in the past and this was shown using a negative
value as opposed to a positive value for a future time.

Part III
1. List its name and give me an explanation of what it is and what it means.
Newtons First Law of Motion
An object will keep doing whatever it is or isn't doing until acted on by a force.
2. Give me 3 examples in the real world involving the law or principle.
1) A ball will not move until it is kicked.
2) A seatbelt will stop you from flying out of your car in a crash.
3) A biker crashes and is thrown over their bike when they crash.

Part IV
1. Clearly and briefly explain the Rare Earth Hypothesis
The Rare Earth Hypothesis is an argument that states the enormous probability of
conditions to allow complex life similar to what we enjoy here on Earth.
2. List and briefly explain 3 important features of the Rare Earth Hypothesis (features are ideas,
concepts or facts that support the hypothesis)
1) The right location.
2) The right planet with a continuous orbit.
Life could not be on a planet if it crashes.
3) Planet orbiting at the right distance from the right type of star.
If a plant was too far or too close to a star like our Sun then there would not be
the correct type of environment for complex life to develop and exist.
3. Planets around other stars have been discovered in significant numbers (exoplanets). What
light has this shed on the hypothesis? Explain briefly.
This does provide some evidence for this theory. On other planets we have found
evidence of basic life. We have yet to find any planets with complex life such as ours. It might be
that somewhere other complex life exists however it could be very far away. Somewhere where
the right conditions exist to support it.