Characteristics and Origins of the Solar System

Fifth Homework Set

November 27, 2000; Due: December 6, 2000

Finis enim laborum erit

1. A meteor (of the kind that produces meteorites) has an average lifetime of 10 million years. How many orbits of the Sun will it make in that time?
2. Calculate the semimajor axis of an asteroid in a 5/3 resonance with Jupiter.
3. What fraction of the time is Pluto further from the Sun than Neptune? (Nota Bene: either come up with the number, or come up with a clear description of how the number would be calculated. If you choose the latter course, the more detailed your description is, the more placated I will be. )
4. Would you expect to find the mineral basalt in a comet nucleus? How about an asteroid?
5. An asteroid is in the outer part of the asteroid belt. It is at opposition. How long will it be before it is at opposition again?