Problem: (a) The average distance between the Earth and the Sun is 108 km. Calculate the average speed of the Earth in its orbit in kilometers per second. (b) What is this is meters per second?
Solution:
Part A
We assume that the earth revolves around the sun in a circular manner. Therefore, the distance between the earth and the sun will be the radius of its orbit.
The total distance traveled the earth in full revolution is
\begin{align*}
d & =2\pi r \\
& = 2\pi \left(10\right)^8\:\text{km} \\
\end{align*}The total time of travel is
\begin{align*}
t & =365.25\:\text{days}\left(\frac{24\:\text{hr}}{1\:\text{day}}\right)\left(\frac{3600\:\text{s}}{1\:\text{hr}}\right) \\
& = 3.15576\times 10^7\:\text{sec} \\
\end{align*}Therefore, the average speed is
\begin{align*}
\text{speed} & =\frac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}=\frac{d}{t} \\
& = \frac{2\pi \left(10\right)^8\:\text{km}}{3.15576\times 10^7\:\text{s}} \\
& = 19.91\:\text{km/s} \ \qquad \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right)
\end{align*}Therefore, the average speed of the earth is \boxed{19.91\ \text{km/s}}.
Part B
Convert 19.91 km/s to m/s.
\begin{align*}
s & =\left(19.91\:\frac{\text{km}}{\text{s}}\right)\left(\frac{1000\:\text{m}}{1\:\text{km}}\right) \\
& =19\,910\:\text{m/s} \ \qquad \ \color{DarkOrange} \left( \text{Answer} \right) \\
\end{align*}Therefore, the velocity is \boxed{19 910\ \text{m/s}}.
College Physics Chapter 1 Problems

College Physics 2nd Edition Solutions Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Nature of Science and Physics
Chapter 3: Two-Dimensional Kinematics
Chapter 4: Dynamics: Force and Newton’s Law of Motion
Chapter 5: Further Applications of Newton’s Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity
Chapter 6: Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation
Chapter 7: Work, Energy, and Energy Resources
Chapter 8: Linear Momentum and Collisions
Chapter 10: Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum
Chapter 12: Fluid Dynamics and Its Biological and Medical Applications
Chapter 13: Temperature, Kinetic Theory, and the Gas Laws
Chapter 14: Heat and Heat Transfer Methods
Chapter 16: Oscillatory Motion and Waves
Chapter 17: Physics of Hearing
Chapter 18: Electric Charge and Electric Field
Chapter 19: Electric Potential and Electric Field
Chapter 20:
Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law
Chapter 21: Circuits and DC Instruments
Chapter 23: Electromagnetic Induction, AC Circuits, and Electrical Technologies
Chapter 24: Electromagnetic Waves
Chapter 26: Vision and Optical Instrument
Chapter 28: Special Relativity
Chapter 29: Introduction to Quantum Physics
Chapter 31: Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics
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