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Date November 2011 Marks available 6 Reference code 11N.3.HL.TZ0.3
Level Higher level Paper Paper 3 Time zone Time zone 0
Command term Determine, Show, and Show that Question number 3 Adapted from N/A

Question

This question is about Hubble’s law.

State Hubble’s law.

[1]
a.

The wavelength of a line in the spectrum of atomic hydrogen, as measured in the laboratory, is 656 nm. The same line in the spectrum of light from a distant galaxy is measured to be 790 nm. The galaxy is 940 Mpc from Earth.

(i) Show that the recessional speed of the galaxy is 6.13×104 km s–1.

(ii) Determine, using your answer to (b)(i), a value for the Hubble constant.

(iii) Show, using your answer to (b)(ii), that the age of the universe is of the order of 1017 s. (1 pc =3.1×1013 km)

[6]
b.

Markscheme

the recessional speed of galaxies from Earth is proportional to their distance from Earth;

or

v=Hd; (with symbols defined)

a.

(i) v=cΔλλ;
=3.0×105×134656;
=6.13×104kms1

(ii) H=vd;
=(6.13×104940=)65.1kms1Mpc1;

(iii) T=1H;
=3.1×101965.1=4.76×1017s;
≈1017s

b.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.

Syllabus sections

Option D: Astrophysics » Option D: Astrophysics (Core topics) » D.3 – Cosmology
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