Spectroscopic and eclipse duration observations of an eclipsing binary star can enable astronomers to calculate________ of its individual stars.
A)the masses
B)the sizes
C)the masses and sizes
D)neither masses nor sizes

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Spectroscopic observations can reveal the radial velocities of the stars, which can be used to calculate their masses. Eclipse duration observations can reveal the size of the stars in relation to their orbit, which, combined with the mass information from spectroscopy, can allow astronomers to calculate the sizes of the stars. Therefore, the correct choice is (C) the masses and sizes.

Spectroscopic and Eclipse Duration Observations of an Eclipsing Binary Star