An eclipsing binary has been analyzed and it has been determined that the ratio of the mass of star A to the mass of star B is 6 : 1,and that the total mass of the two stars is 26 solar masses.What are the masses of star A and star B?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Let the masses of star A and star B be represented by 6x and x, respectively.

The total mass of the system is:

6x + x = 26

Simplifying this equation:

7x = 26

x = 3.7

Therefore, the mass of star A is:

6x = 6(3.7) = 22.2 solar masses

And the mass of star B is:

x = 3.7 solar masses

Thus, the correct answer is C.

An Eclipsing Binary Has Been Analyzed and It Has Been