Treating Sun and Earth as symmetric spheres, find the center of mass of the Earth-Sun system. Assume that x=0 in the center of the Sun.

Question

jamesj · Answer

Suppose you have two masses M1 and M2 a distance D apart.  How do we find their center of mass?

anonymous · Answer

by m1x1+m2x2 all divided by m1+m2.

jamesj · Answer

Right.  Now, if M1 is the mass of the sun at x1 = 0, and M2 the mass of the earth at the distance x2 = d, the center of mass is at
$$ x_{CM} = \frac{d.M_2}{M_1 + M_2} $$

anonymous · Answer

so it would be 
\[(6.37*10^6)(5.97*10^24) all divided by 1.99*10^30 +5.97*10^24= x cm

anonymous · Answer

5.97*10^24 is the earth's mass and 1.99*10^30 is the sun's mass

jamesj · Answer

ok.  Are you sure about d?  Should be ~150 million kms.

anonymous · Answer

thank you