You have observed the wobble in the velocity curves of two otherwise identical stars. Star A has a period of 6 months and Star B has a period of 1 year. What can you say about these stars?
A)Star A's planet is more massive than Star B's planet.
B)It is impossible to say anything about the planets orbiting these stars.
C)Star A's planet must be closer than Star B's planet.
D)Star B must have a planet like Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The period of the wobble in the velocity curve is related to the distance between the star and its orbiting planet. Since Star A has a shorter period than Star B, its planet must be closer to it. Therefore, we can say that Star A's planet must be closer than Star B's planet. We cannot determine the mass of the planets or whether Star B has a planet like Earth based on this information alone.

You Have Observed the Wobble in the Velocity Curves of Two