If an area the size of the solar system was filled with sand, would the number of grains be larger or smaller than the number of stars in the visible universe?
(Show your workings, please)
2007-04-08 01:28:50 · 10 answers · asked by q_burrito 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Number of stars in universe = less than 10^30
(This is from astronomer's estimate of stars in visible universe, extrapolated to whole universe by factor of 6000).
Grain of sand in box 20,000 km on a side =
... 10^30 to 10^35 (depends on how fine sized the grains are)
... But 20,000 km box is only 8 times bigger than the Earth -- a long long way from the size of the solar system!
For the solar system, how do you define the size? Is it a sphere, out to the Oort cloud, of radius 100,000 AU? Or is it a flat disk of only 30 AU radius, times 0.1 AU thickness?
But no matter how you define it, the sand wins this one.
2007-04-08 02:06:11 · answer #1 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It may seem like a long shot, but the number of stars in the universe, simply because we haven't discovered the entire universe. Each star you see in the sky at night probably has its own solar system, not to mention the stars you don't see.
Since we haven't seen the entire universe, I'm working with an infinite number, while the sand conundrum can be solved mathematically and the solution is definitely a finite number.
2007-04-08 01:36:45 · answer #2 · answered by SG 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I've heard that there are more stars in the visible universe that grains of sand on Earth.
But if the whole area of the solar system was filled with sand (solid) then i would say the sand.
2007-04-08 05:34:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stars
2007-04-08 01:32:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stars.
2007-04-08 02:03:53 · answer #5 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On a scale from 1 to 10, as 10 being the most intelligent question asked today, this one fall short of that mark by a factor of 10.
2007-04-08 02:37:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
basically approximately all the mass interior the image voltaic device became as quickly as component of a single extensive famous person as you have pronounced. whether the planets weren't created the way the Moon became; the planets coalesced out of the cloud of dirt that became left over from the supernova, while the Moon coalesced out of debris created with the help of an impression between the Earth and yet another great merchandise (with reference to the size of Mars) early interior the Earth's historical past.
2016-12-15 19:17:16 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both are infinite. But I think it is sand because its very small so basically amount of sand should be bigger.
2007-04-08 02:04:26 · answer #8 · answered by stranger 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
definitely stars
2007-04-08 02:09:46 · answer #9 · answered by absentmindednik 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
PB is right.it would definately b stars
2007-04-08 02:02:36 · answer #10 · answered by Ridhi 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋