Charisty Whitmer

Physics 1010

Signature Assignment
Part 1: Star Identification
Star

Distance from
Earth (light
years)

Radius
compared to
the Sun

321 light years

When light
visible now on
Earth left the
star
321 years

6.4x

Stars
Luminosity
compared to
Sun
30,000

Acrux (Alpha
Crucis) Alpha1
Mimosa (Beta
Crucis/Becrux)
Gacrux
(Gamma
Crucis)
Delta Crucis

353 light years

353 years

8.4x

21,000

88 light years

88 years

84x

1,300

364 light years

364 years

8x

3,200

Part 2: Equation Analysis

E=mc2
1. E = Energy that any mass has at rest
m = Mass
c = Speed of light
c2 = Proportionality constant of energy and mass
2. c2 = 89,875,517,873,681,800 m2/s2
3.

Yes, mass and energy are related. As stated in the book, Mass is actually
congealed energy. Mass and energy are two sides of the same coin. The
greater the mass of a particle, the more energy is stored within it.

4. Yes, it is possible to change mass into energy. Nuclear reactors are used to
do just that. Albert Einstein showed that mass and energy are the ultimate
convertible currencies (Brian Greene, Theoretical Physicist, Columbia
University).
d=gt2/2
5. b) objects fall at the same speed (if no air resistance) and weight doesnt
matter.
Without air resistance, everything is in a state of free fall and accelerates at
an average speed of 9.8 m/s due to gravity. Force produces an acceleration,
inertia is a resistance to acceleration. So twice the force exerted on an object
with twice the inertia produces the same acceleration as half the force
exerted on an object with half the inertia. Both accelerate equally.
6.

v=gt
d) objects fall at the same speed (if no air resistance) and weight doesnt
matter.
Weight matters, but it creates more resistance, which cancels out the
acceleration. Without air resistance, gravity is the only force acting on it, so
it is accelerating at 9.8 m/s multiplied by the time it is falling.

7. The unseen/unknown force of air resistance was acting on falling objects

making it appear that heavy objects fall faster than lighter objects.
8.

Greater mass = greater inertia (resistance), which causes all objects to

accelerate at the same speed of 9.8 m/s due to gravity. Without air
resistance, all objects accelerate equally regardless of mass.

e=1-Tcold/Thot
9. Yes, in theory. As you drop the temperature to 0, you have 100% efficiency.
10. Realistically, no. It would make it more difficult, because internal heat energy
would have to increase to compensate for the drop in the external
temperature.
11. No. In theory it will never reach 100% efficiency. But the efficiency
increases as the internal temperature increases. The highest efficiency it can
reach is 99.999(repeated infinitely)%.
12. In practice it could, because all energy used eventually converts to heat.
13. It depends on how it is being evaluated. Strictly from the perspective of it
being a heat engine and its job it to heat up the external environment around
it, then yes, it can be 100% efficient. Because 100% of the fuel burned
transfers to the environment at some point.
In terms of a car, it cannot be 100% efficient, because a car relies on
mechanical energy to operate and the heat energy is rejected. Some of that
heat energy can be recovered and utilized in the cab, but you will always lose
some through the tail pipe.
Part 3: Learning about a Law of Physics

1.

Faradays Law: The induced voltage in a coil is proportional to the

product of its number of loops, the cross-sectional area of each loop,
and the rate at which the magnetic field changes within those loops.
Faradays Law explains electromagnetic induction. Voltage is caused by
relative motion between a wire and a magnetic field. The more loops fo wire
that move in a magnetic field, the greater the induced voltage.

2.

Examples:
a. ATM card magnetic strip swiped through a scanner.
b. Airport Security Systems walk through upright coils and if we are
carrying only significant quantities of iron, change the magnetic field of
the coils and trigger an alarm.
c. Triggers traffic light sensors when a car drives over and changes the
magnetic field in coils of wire beneath the road surface.

Part 4: Impact Crater Identification

1.

2.

Vredefrot Crater
a. Location: Free State, South Africa
b. Age: 2023 million years

Barringer Crater (a.k.a. Meteor Crater, formerly known as Canyon Diablo

Crater)
a. Location: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
b. Age: 50,000 years

3.

Popigai Crater
a. Location: Siberia, Russia
b. Age: 35 million years

4.

Pingualuit Crater (formerly Chubb Crater and New Quebec Crater)

a. Location: Nunavik, northern Quebec, Canada
b. Age: 1.4 million years