Mathematics+120

Here lie the eleven mathematical equations used during this Astronomy 120 class
Remember, Monday's office hours (12:30 - 1:30 P.M.) are in the planetarium and this is the perfect opportunity to come in and practice some math with me (a giant white board is waiting there for us to scribble all over)!

__Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion__:

math p^{2} = a^{3} math

where p = the period, measured in years a = the semi-major axis of the ellipse, measured in astronomical units (A.U.).

__Newton's Second Law of Motion__:

math F = ma math

where F = the force, measured in Newtons m = the mass, measured in kilograms a = the acceleration, measured in meters per seconds squared

__Newton's Universal Law of Gravity__:

where F = the force (of gravity), measured in Newtons G = 6.674 x 10^-11, measured in units of (get this!) m^3/kg/s^2 (meters cubed, per kilogram, per seconds squared) M = mass of the more massive object, measured in kilograms m = mass of the less massive object, measured in kilograms r = distance between the two objects, measured in meters

__Equations for light__:

where lambda = the wavelength of light, measured in meters c = the speed of light = 3 x 10^8 m/s f = the frequency of light, measured in Hertz, or "per second"



where E = the energy of light, measured in Joules h = Planck's constant = 6.626 x 10^-34 m^2 kg/s c = the speed of light = 3 x 10^8 m/s lambda = the wavelength of light, in meters

__Wien's Law__:

where = lambda_max = the wavelength of peak of the blackbody curve T = temperature, measured in Kelvin

__Mass-Energy Equivalence__:

math E = mc^{2} math

where E = Energy, measured in Joules m = mass, in kilograms c = the speed of light = 3 x 10^8 m/s

__Distance Modulus__:

where D = distance, as measured in parsecs m = apparent magnitude M = absolute magnitude

__Equation for a straight line__:

where y = y-value m = slope of the line x = x-value b = y-intercept

__Leavitt Law__:

math M = -2.78 log(P) - 1.35 math

where M = absolute magnitude P = period of light variability