2006-09-27 00:50:00 · 5 answers · asked by bioosa 6 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You would never even get started as the escape velocity from the earth (to escape its gravitational attraction) is in excess of 25,000 miles per hour (40,000 kilometres an hour).
However the good news is that the return journey would be much easier, as the moon has a much lower mass, lower gravity and a lower escape velocity of 2.38 km/sec or 8,568 kilometres/hour as a consequence. About a fifth of the speed needed to leave earth, but still far more than the fast car you propose to emulate,
Admittedly once you pull away from the celestial body you are departing from, you can then cruise at a lower speed.
The distance to the moon varies between 363,000 kilometres at perigee and 405,000 kilometres at apogee. Assuming you went in a straight line and took the shortest possible route between two points therefore, at 100 km/hour you would need between 3630 and 4050 hours (150-170 days). At 200 km/hour 1815-2025 hours (76-85 days) would be needed and dawdling along at a mere 180 kms/hour would eat up 2020-2250 hours (84- 93 days) or about 3 months.
That would be without stopping, refuelling, or sleeping, no parking up in laybys or popping into a motorway diner.
You would bet very bored and no chance to stretch your legs for 3 whole months at a time, That is why it makes more sense to go faster. You would also be liable to run out of food and water and oxygen,
If you maintained yiour escape velocity of 40,000 kilometres an hour for the whole journey, you would be there in ten hours and two shakes of a lamb's tail.
The actual journey time in 1969 for Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins to the Moon and back again was five days for the round trip, including time spent on its surface and orbiting it, so they must have been going at a fair old speed.
As the song says
You will never get to heaven in an old Ford car
Cos an old Ford car won't get that far ...
2006-09-27 00:54:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Since it is 400,000 km to the Moon, it would take 400,000 / 180 = 2,222 hours or 92 1/2 days to get to the Moon at 180 km/h.
2006-09-27 02:01:03 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At 180 km/hr you will never leave the earth to get to the moon. Mathematically it will take you infinite time. You must travel at least 11 km/sec = 40000 km/hr to get out of earth's attraction.
2006-09-27 00:53:47 · answer #3 · answered by astrokid 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
divide the distance to the moon in kilometers by the speed in kph. That will tell you how many hours to get there at any given speed.
2006-09-27 01:08:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put the proper spaces between words and ask again.
2006-09-27 00:54:21 · answer #5 · answered by no nickname 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋