Life in the Universe, Books a la Carte Edition (4th Edition)
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780134287621
Author: Jeffrey O. Bennett, Seth Shostak
Publisher: PEARSON
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Chapter 13, Problem 31TYU
To determine
The time taken by the New Horizons spacecraft to travel the distance to the nearest star.
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A light-year is the distance that light can travel in one year. Similarly, we can define a light-second, light-day, etc. as the distance that light can travel in other time intervals. Calculate the distance represented by each of the following: (Assume that the speed of light is 3 × 108 m/s).
1. 4 light-seconds
2. 3 light-minutes
3. 2 light-days
4. 2 light-days, but this time answer in miles (enter just the number with no units)
What is the distance in meters to our Sun that is 500 light-seconds away?
Light travels at a rate of approximately 186,000 miles per second. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. The North Star is approximately 460 light-years away from Earth. How many years would it take for a spaceship traveling at 1 million miles per hour to reach the North Star?
Chapter 13 Solutions
Life in the Universe, Books a la Carte Edition (4th Edition)
Ch. 13 - Prob. 1RQCh. 13 - How does the speed of light affect the possibility...Ch. 13 - Prob. 3RQCh. 13 - Prob. 4RQCh. 13 - What is the rocket equation used for? Based on the...Ch. 13 - Prob. 6RQCh. 13 - Discuss a few ways of reaching the stars (other...Ch. 13 - How would time dilation affect space travel at...Ch. 13 - Prob. 9RQCh. 13 - What is the Fermi paradox? What two seemingly...
Ch. 13 - Why does it seem that other civilizations, if they...Ch. 13 - What arc Von Neumann machines? How do they affect...Ch. 13 - Describe the coral model of galactic colonization....Ch. 13 - Briefly discuss possible motives for galactic...Ch. 13 - Summarize the three general categories of possible...Ch. 13 - Briefly discuss the profound implications of the...Ch. 13 - What known problems were solved when Einstein...Ch. 13 - Prob. 18RQCh. 13 - Besides the idea that you cannot reach the speed...Ch. 13 - Prob. 20RQCh. 13 - Prob. 21TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 22TYUCh. 13 - Each of the following describes some futuristic...Ch. 13 - Prob. 24TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 25TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 26TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 27TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 28TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 29TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 30TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 31TYUCh. 13 - The amount of energy that would be needed to...Ch. 13 - The rocket engines of our current spacecraft are...Ch. 13 - Suppose that a spaceship was launched in the year...Ch. 13 - Prob. 35TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 36TYUCh. 13 - Which of the following questions best represents...Ch. 13 - Prob. 38TYUCh. 13 - Which of the following is not relative in the...Ch. 13 - Prob. 40TYUCh. 13 - Prob. 41POSCh. 13 - Prob. 42POSCh. 13 - Prob. 44IFCh. 13 - What's Wrong with This Picture? Many science...Ch. 13 - Large Rockets. Suppose we built a rocket that...Ch. 13 - Prob. 47IFCh. 13 - Solution to the Fermi Paradox. Among the various...Ch. 13 - Prob. 50IFCh. 13 - Cruise Ship Energy. Suppose we have a spaceship...Ch. 13 - Prob. 52IFCh. 13 - The Multistage Rocket Equation. The rocket...Ch. 13 - Relativistic Time Dilation. Use the time dilation...Ch. 13 - Testing Relativity. A + meson produced at rest has...Ch. 13 - Prob. 57IFCh. 13 - Prob. 58IFCh. 13 - Prob. 59IFCh. 13 - Prob. 60IFCh. 13 - The Turning Point. Discuss the idea that the...
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Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- Suppose astronomers discover a radio message from a civilization whose planet orbits a star 35 lightyears away. Their message encourages us to send a radio answer, which we decide to do. Suppose our governing bodies take 2 years to decide whether and how to answer. When our answer arrives there, their governing bodies also take two of our years to frame an answer to us. How long after we get their first message can we hope to get their reply to ours? (A question for further thinking: Once communication gets going, should we continue to wait for a reply before we send the next message?)arrow_forwardIf the speed of light is 3.0 × 105 km/s, how many kilometers are in a light-year? How many meters? (Hint: First look up or calculate how many seconds are in a year.)arrow_forwardThe meter was redefined as a reference to Earth, then to krypton, and finally to the speed of light. Why do you think the reference point for a meter continued to change?arrow_forward
- Why is traveling between the stars (by creatures like us) difficult?arrow_forwardA light-year is the distance that light can travel in one year. Similarly, we can define a light-second, light-day, etc. as the distance that light can travel in other time intervals. Calculate the distance represented by each of the following: (Assume that the speed of light is 3 x 10^8m/s) 5 light-minutes 6 light-days 6 light-days, but this time answer in miles (enter just the number with no units)arrow_forwardIn the year 2100, an astronaut wears an antique, but accurate, “quartz" wristwatch on a journey at a speed of 2.0 × 108 m/s. According to mission control in Houston, the trip lasts 14 hours. How long was the trip as measured on the watch?arrow_forward
- Suppose your shortwave radio has a frequency of 300 MHz. If the speed of light is 300,000,000 m/s, then what is the wavelength of the waves from your radio, in meters?arrow_forwardWhy do we think that nothing, other than light, can travel faster than the speed of light?arrow_forwardone hundred milli- (100 times one one-thousandth): 102 ✕ 10−3 = 10(2 + [−3]) = 10(2 − 3) = 10−1 = 0.1 (100 ÷ 1,000 = 0.1) one hundred micro- (100 times one one-millionth): 102 ✕ 10−6 = 10(2 + [−6]) = 10(2 − 6) = 10−4 How do we write one hundred nano- (100 times one-billionth)? 102 ✕ 10−9 = 10 We write ten micrometers as follows. 10 ✕ 10−6 m = 10−5 m How do we write ten nanoseconds? 10 ✕ 10−9 s = 10 sarrow_forward
- By the term universe, astronomers mean: The system of 200 to 400 billion stars, of which the sun is one. The collection of several dozen galaxies, of which the Milky Way is one. Everything that we can observe. The realm inside the atom.arrow_forwardIn astronomy, distances are often expressed in light-years. One light-year is the distance traveled by light in one year. If the distance to a star is 3.7 light-years, what is this distance in meters? (There are 365.25 days in one year.)arrow_forwardThe Drake Equation is a tool for estimating ... A) the number of alien civilizations that have visited the Earth in the past B) the number of planets in the Milky Way that contain civilizations intelligent enough to communicate through space. C) the number of habitable planets in the Milky Way where life has developedarrow_forward
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