Chapter 2, Problem 1P

The space shuttle travels at a speed of about $7.6\times {10}^3 \text{m}/\text{s}$ . The blink of an astronaut's eye lasts about $110 \text{ms}$ . How many football fields $\left(\text{length}=91.4 \text{m}\right)$ does the shuttle cover in the blink of an eye?

To determine

To Calculate: The number of football fields $($ length $=$

  $91.4$ m $)$ that the shuttle covers in the blink of an eye.

Answer to Problem 1P

Number of football fields, $n=9$ .

Explanation of Solution

Given information:

The space shuttle travels at a speed, $v=7.6\times {10}^3$ m/s

The blink of an astronaut’s eye lasts for $t=110$ ms

Formula used:

  $v=\frac{d}{t}$

Here, $v$ is velocity, $d$ is distance, and $t$ is time

And $1$ ms $=$

  ${10}^{-3}$ s

Calculation:

The length of one football field is $91.4$ m.

Let there are $n$ number of football fields that the shuttle covers in the blink of an eye.

So, the total distance covered is $d=n\times 91.4$ m

Time $t=110\text{ ms}$ ms

Substitute the values in the formula

  $v=\frac{d}{t}$

  $7.6\times {10}^3=\frac{n\times 91.4}{110\times {10}^{-3}}$

  $7.6\times 110=n\times 91.4$

  $\begin{array}{c}n=\frac{7.6\times 110}{91.4}\\ =9.15\simeq 9\end{array}$

Conclusion: Hence, shuttle covers $9$ football fields in the blink of an eye.