Applying the Newton's version of Kepler's third law (or the orbital velocity law)to a star orbiting 40,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy allows us to determine
A)the total mass of the entire Milky Way Galaxy.
B)the mass of the black hole thought to reside in the center of the galaxy.
C)the percentage of the galaxy's mass that is made of dark matter.
D)the mass of the Milky Way Galaxy that lies within 40,000 light-years of the galactic center.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Newton's version of Kepler's third law relates the orbital period and distance of an object to the total mass enclosed within that distance. Therefore, by applying this law to a star orbiting at 40,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, we can determine the mass of the Milky Way Galaxy that lies within 40,000 light-years of the galactic center. Other choices are not related to the application of this law.

Applying the Newton's Version of Kepler's Third Law (Or the Orbital