If one micrometeorite (a sphere with a diameter of 2.3 10E-6 m) struck each square meter of the Moon each second, how many years would it take to cover the Moon to a depth of 1.0 m? (Hint: Consider a cubic box, 1.0 m on a side, on the Moon, and find how long it would take to fill the box.)
2007-08-31 11:50:45 · 1 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
You actually have 2 answers possible. You can have "open cubic packing", where the micrometeorites are stacked diameter to diameter, or "hex close packing". The math for either is fairly straightforward. Find the number of spheres to fit 1 meter, about 4.1x10^5 in open cubic packing. Cube that result to find the number of micrometeorites. Divide by 3.14x10^7 to get years. Hex close packing takes about 50 percent longer.
2007-08-31 12:11:23 · answer #1 · answered by cattbarf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋