Difficulty: Hard

Average Score: 45%

The distance from Earth to the sun is approximately 9 * 10^7 miles. The diameter of Earth is approximately 8,000 miles.

The distance from Earth to the sun is approximately how many × the diameter of Earth?

Rationale

The distance from Earth to the sun is approximately 11,000 times the diameter of Earth.

The average distance from Earth to the sun is about 93 million miles, while the diameter of Earth is roughly 8,000 miles. When calculated, the ratio of the distance to the diameter yields approximately 11,000.

A (1,000) YOUR ANSWER

This choice significantly underestimates the distance from Earth to the sun. A ratio of 1,000 times Earth’s diameter would imply a distance of about 8 million miles, which is far less than the actual average distance of approximately 93 million miles.

B (9,000) YOUR ANSWER

This option also falls short of the actual distance. A calculation of 9,000 times the diameter of Earth would result in a distance of about 72 million miles, which, while closer than 1,000, still does not reflect the true average distance to the sun.

C (11,000) CORRECT

This is the correct choice, as it accurately represents the ratio of the distance from Earth to the sun compared to Earth’s diameter. With the average distance being about 93 million miles, dividing this by the Earth’s diameter of about 8,000 miles indeed yields approximately 11,000.

D (90,000) YOUR ANSWER

This value overestimates the distance significantly. A ratio of 90,000 times the diameter of Earth would imply a distance of around 720 million miles, which is far beyond the actual average distance to the sun.

E (9,000,000) YOUR ANSWER

This choice also greatly inflates the estimated distance. A ratio of 9,000,000 times the diameter of Earth suggests a distance of about 72 billion miles, which is not only inaccurate but also far exceeds any realistic measurement of the distance within our solar system.

Conclusion

In summary, the distance from Earth to the sun is approximately 11,000 times the diameter of Earth, which accurately reflects the relationship between these two measurements. The other choices either underestimate or overestimate this distance, demonstrating the importance of using correct astronomical figures in calculations. Understanding these distances is crucial for many scientific applications, including space exploration and understanding our solar system.