Part 1

Star 1
1. Name: Vega
2. Distance from Earth: 25 Light years
3. Light emitted that is viewed by us: 25 years ago
4. Size compared to the sun: 2.1x
5. Luminosity compared to the sun: 40.1x
Star 2
1. Name: Epsilon
2. Distance from Earth: 160 Light years
3. Light emitted that is viewed by us: 160 years ago
4. Size compared to the sun: 1.5x
5. Luminosity compared to the sun: 18x the sun
Star 3
1. Name: Sheliak
2. Distance from Earth: 959 Light years
3. Light emitted that is viewed by us: 959 years ago

4. Size compared to the sun: 15x and 6x

5. Luminosity compared to the sun: 8,300x and 27,700x
Star 4
1. Name: Sulafat
2. Distance from Earth: 635 Light years
3. Light emitted that is viewed by us: 635 years ago
4. Size compared to the sun: 15x
5. Luminosity compared to the sun: 2,100x
Part 2
Q1: In the equation E=mc2, the variable E is defined as Energy, the variable m is defined as Mass,
and the constant c is defined as the Speed of Light.
Q2: The size of the constant c is 3.00x108, where as c2 is more of a unit of conversion, being
(3.00x108)2. Adding the square keeps the relationship between energy and mass consistent.
Q3: Yes energy and mass are related. The equation nearly states that a small amount of mass is part
of a large amount of energy.
Q4: No matter what, with the constant of c, any amount of mass added to the equation creates a
large amount of energy. So if it is possible to change mass into energy a little bit of mass could
produce a lot of energy, is a true statement. Something as simple as an object with 3 kilograms of
mass, the equation would be E = 3(3.00x108)2, this comes to around 2.7 x 1017 joules, which is a very
large amount of energy for only 3 kilograms of mass.
Q5:

Mass cannot be negative. If it was negative it would be anti-matter, which is not known to exist.

Q6: With the speed of light being a velocity, it can be negative, it just determines the direction in
which it is traveling.
Q7: The factor c2 cannot be negative. The speed of light can be negative, but having the constant -c
square removes the negative outcome from the equation.
Q8:

mc2 cannot be negative. The constant c is the only factor in the equation that can be negative.

Q9: Based on the equation energy cannot be negative, although in other factors potential energy can
be negative.
Q10: Energy does not have a direction, unless it is kinetic energy, then it has a scalar quantity.
Q11: No the negative on the E side of the equation cannot mean a direction for the energy.
Q12: With only one of the factors being able to be negative, the negative sign itself had no purpose
being in the equation itself. Since Energy itself cannot be negative then there is no purpose for the
negative sign to exist within the equation.
Q13: The negative sign is meaningless since energy cannot be negative. Until negative energy is

discovered there is no purpose for it.

Part 3
Within Newton's Laws for Rotation lies the principle of Torque. Torque is defined in the
readings of Conceptual Physics as the rotational counterpart of force. In simpler terms torque is a
force that acts on twisting or rotation, instead of movement of an object. The force applied to create the
rotational force can be increased with distance from the axis, as well as adding more force. For objects
to be altered by torque a force of rotation has to be applied, this concept will be easier to understand
after an example has been given.
Throughout the world torque can be seen everywhere, although it isn't as easy to see as other
forces. One key example is using a wrench to spin a bolt. The force is applied by the person using the
tool on one end of the wrench pushing downward or upward, therefore spinning the bolt at the other
end of the wrench. Since the bolt is a stationary object the force doesn't move the bolt in the same
direction as the wrench is being moved, instead the force is focused around the bolt.
Another example for torque would be a pulley system. With this example of torque the output of
force is not going into the center point instead it is being guided along ropes or cables attached to the
pulley. For this example, if one side of a rope attached to a pulley has more weight added to it, then the
force being applied to the pulley increases the torque through the amount of rotational force applied to
the pulley.
The last example of torque, although the mechanical workings of motors and vehicles are nearly
all prime examples, is the turning of a car tire. The car tire receives torque from the axle, which
receives torque from the drive shaft, which receives torque from the engine. The rotational force from
this chain of events leads to rotational force spinning the tire, and pressing away from the street,
causing the vehicle to move.
Part 4
The argument of extraterrestrial beings existing is known as Fermi's paradox. This paradox
questions the belief on whether or not there are extraterrestrial civilizations within the universe. Being a
paradox it has extremely valid points supporting the belief. For example, the existence of stars that are
similar to the sun, and the possibility that there are planets comparable to earth that lifeforms could
survive on. These are valid points that are unable to be fully researched due to technological
limitations, and these points help support that it is a paradox. A paradox could be defined as something
people find unbelievable though it is also likely true.
If finding resolutions for this paradox were possible, although technology seems to be the
largest factor keeping them from being found, then what grounds are there to be discovered. Perhaps
extraterrestrial civilizations have already died off, simply they are unable to be found because their
time has passed. Earth is believed to be a young planet, and humans are fairly recently developed
intelligent beings. It could be that by the time Earth humans were developed, or even created, that the
extraterrestrial civilizations were already extinct.
With the extinction of these civilizations being possible, another reasoning to the paradox could
be that the civilizations are too far away. With civilizations only lasting a short amount of time on a

universal time scale, the amount of time it would take to send a communication from another galaxy to
our own could be millions of years. Perhaps they have tried to communicate with us, but we simply
won't receive whatever they sent for another million years. Even if they aren't thousands of galaxies
away the next resolution could be a possibility.
With the amount of time it would take to communicate, this next resolution can be observed. It
is questionable as to why if there are aliens, why haven't they contacted the earth yet. Maybe it is not
whether they have tried, but whether we know how to listen. On earth alone there are thousands of
languages, although communication would be extremely obvious, even if it wasn't a language we knew.
This question is hard to make a conclusion from because even if there were multiple civilizations at
least one of them would be interested in communicating.
Another possible answer to the paradox is that maybe they know we are here, but they have no
intent of communicating. Some people possibly believe that we are living in an alien zoo, that they are
just watching us and studying us from afar. This idea could help explain the lack of communication, but
then it would bring up more questions as to why they are doing it. This could also help to understand
why some people are afraid of the possibility of extraterrestrial lifeforms, that they are so far ahead of
us they simply have no need for us.