Tidal forces are very important to the Algol system today,but were not important when both stars were still on the main sequence.Why not?
A)Main-sequence stars in a system like the Algol system are small compared to their physical separation.
B)Main-sequence stars are too big to be affected by tidal forces.
C)Main-sequence stars are too massive to be affected by tidal forces.
D)Main-sequence stars are unaffected by tidally-induced mass transfer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tidal forces are dependent on the masses and sizes of the objects involved, as well as their distances from each other. Main-sequence stars in a system like Algol are relatively small compared to their physical separation, so tidal forces are not strong enough to significantly affect the stars until they evolve off the main sequence.

Tidal Forces Are Very Important to the Algol System Today,but