The number of solar masses the quasar consumes per year to maintain its average energy output.

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Chapter 19, Problem 43QP

To determine

The number of solar masses the quasar consumes per year to maintain its average energy output.

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An astronomical image shows two objects that have the same apparent magnitude, i.e., the same brightness. However, spectroscopic follow up observations indicate that while one is a star that is within our galaxy, at a distance dgal away, and has the same luminosity as the Sun, the other is a quasar and has 100x the luminosity of the entire Milky Way galaxy. What is the distance to the quasar? (You may assume, for this rough calculation, that the Milky Way has 1011 stars and that they all have the luminosity as the Sun.) Give your response in Mpc. Value: dgal = 49 pc

Suppose a quasar is shining with a luminosity L. What is the approximate minimal mass of the black hole? (If the black hole had a lower mass than this, the pressure in the material would overcome the gravity of the black hole and the material would be blown apart.) Give your answer in solar masses, in scientific notation to one significant figure (no decimal places). Value: L=1×10^12Lsun Suppose the quasar in the previous problem is 10% efficient at turning rest mass into energetic photons, according to Einstein's equation E=mc2. What is the necessary rate of accretion of mass onto this black hole, to sustain its luminosity of 1* 1012 solar luminosities -- i.e. how much mass must be 'fed' to this black hole to keep the AGN shining so brightly? Give your response in units of solar masses of material per year, with one decimal place.

What is the mechanism for the energy output of quasars?