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A particular star is 5.2*10^18 meters away from Earth and has a luminosity of 8.9*10^29 watts. Ignoring the effects of the atmosphere, what is the brightness of the star, in watts per square meter, as observed from earth?

physics
 Aug 27, 2015

Best Answer 

 #2
avatar+118696 
+5

I'm guessing here but

the lioght will spread out in a sphere

the surface area of a sphere is   4*pi*r^2

r=5.2*10^18

So the surface are of THIS sphere is 

SA=4π(5.21018)2SA=4π5.221036

 

4×5.22×π=339.7946614122720367

 

 

SA=3.397979466141227203671038M2Brightness8.91029/(3.397979466141227203671038)$wattspersquaremetre$Brightness8.9109/(3.39797946614122720367)$wattspersquaremetre$Brightness2.62109$wattspersquaremetre$

 

I got the same as anon so maybe we are both correct    

 Aug 27, 2015
 #1
avatar
+5

A particular star is 5.2*10^18 meters away from Earth and has a luminosity of 8.9*10^29 watts. Ignoring the effects of the atmosphere, what is the brightness of the star, in watts per square meter, as observed from earth?

 

Brightness-Luminosity-Distance relationship 

Brightness=8.9*10^29 / 4 x Pi x (5.2*10^18)^2

=2.619 x 10^-9 W/M^2

 Aug 27, 2015
 #2
avatar+118696 
+5
Best Answer

I'm guessing here but

the lioght will spread out in a sphere

the surface area of a sphere is   4*pi*r^2

r=5.2*10^18

So the surface are of THIS sphere is 

SA=4π(5.21018)2SA=4π5.221036

 

4×5.22×π=339.7946614122720367

 

 

SA=3.397979466141227203671038M2Brightness8.91029/(3.397979466141227203671038)$wattspersquaremetre$Brightness8.9109/(3.39797946614122720367)$wattspersquaremetre$Brightness2.62109$wattspersquaremetre$

 

I got the same as anon so maybe we are both correct    

Melody Aug 27, 2015

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