2007-01-25 10:50:12 · 7 answers · asked by chriskelly003 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
93 million miles or 1.5x10^11 meters.
2007-01-25 10:57:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is done by forming a right triangle on earth and carefully measuring angles.
1. sight directly into center of the sun.
2. from that sight line go perpendicular or 90 dergrees exactly to a set distance say 1000 feet.
3. At that 1000 feet sight again right to center of the sun. Measure that angle formed between that sight line and the perpendicular line. At this point you have formed a 'right triange'
4 go to the cosine tables in any mathmatical tables book.
5 since cosine of that measured angle is = 1000 feet divide divided by that "line D" to the sun summarizing.
6 cos= 1000ft/ D to sun
7 therefore D= 1000 divided by the cos of that measured angle
That is how the Greeks did it 5000 years ago and it still works today.
Good luck in your studies of physics
2007-01-25 19:18:31 · answer #2 · answered by James M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look up parallaxes. It involves measuing the angle to the sun at two different points in the earths rotation and then using simple geometry and math to compute the distance. Or you can just google it. :P
2007-01-25 19:02:02 · answer #3 · answered by Nate 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
take the speed of light n do something with the amount of time it takes the light from the sun to get here...4 mins or seconds I forget. Then apply some wanky theory or formula and you'll have an answer.
2007-01-25 19:05:00 · answer #4 · answered by mickattafe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The distance is known as the astronomic unit (AU):
1 AU = 150x10^6 km.
2007-01-25 19:01:22 · answer #5 · answered by Dorian36 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what data you are willing to work from. With a suitable radar set, you can just bounce a radio wave off of it and measure it directly. (It's been done.)
2007-01-25 19:01:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dude so easy jst google it
2007-01-25 18:54:59 · answer #7 · answered by edwinerzz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋