HSC 2004 question 19 (a) (1 Viewer)

[jessi90]

Can somebody explain how to do this question?

 

[shanks27]

the time gap is about 6months, so earth will travel half a revolution around the sun. Mars will travel about a 1/3 of a revolution in 6months, that accounts for the posistion of both. The projected path is just a line from earth to mars

 

[jessi90]

thanks but how do we know that mars will travel 1/3 of a revolution in 6months? is it common knowledge or something?:S

 

[shanks27]

yeh it is a bit common knowledge, in my text book at the back they have all the orbiting time of all the planets so that helped

 

[jessi90]

hmm thats a bit harsh considering its not in the syllabus or anything... i guess thats what separates the band 5s and 6s

 

[clonestar]

Hi jessi90,

The answer to Mars exact position is an approximation.

Based on the HSC markers report yes the better answers had a 1/3 of the position but as it said an approximation would have meant anywhere before a half would have been accepted and marked as correct.

Regards