Answer:
The Mass distribution
Step-by-step explanation:
Once you know the tangent speed v of a star which has an orbit of radius R around the center of the Galaxy, one can calculate the mass enclosed by such orbit.
As an estimation, consider the orbit as circular, then the newtonian force of gravity must account for the centripetal acceleration. In other words:
[tex]\frac{G M_{enclosed}}{R^{2} } =\frac{v^{2} }{R}[/tex]
And so
[tex]M_{enclosed}=\frac{v^{2}R }{G}[/tex]
Hope my answer helps.
Have a nice day!
Answer:
The velocity curve
Step-by-step explanation:
A plot of the rotation speed versus the distance from the center of the galaxy gives the movement of the galaxy. In essence, a rotation curve or the velocity curve is a plot of the orbital speeds in the galaxy as seen from the center of the galaxy.
