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The sun's angular diameter is measured to be 1920". The distance D of the sun from the earth is 1.496*10^11.Find the diameter of the sun.[hint d is directly proportional to D] |
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Answer» diameter is the ANGLE subtended by the diameter of the SUN planet at the eyes of a viewer. δ = angular diameter in radians d = actual diameter of Sun planet D = distance between the surface of Earth and Sun. = 1.496 * 10^11 meters tan δ/2 = (d/2) / D δ in radians = δ in arcseconds / 3600 * π/180 = 1920/3600* π/180 radians d = 2 D tan δ/2 = 1.39 *10^9 meters = 1.390 &10^6 kmEarth's diameter = 12,742 kmSun's diameter is around 109 times Earth's. so it is 1388872 km = 1.388 * 10^6 kmSo the calculated FIGURE and the diameter from the book are matching nearly. |
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