The intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth's atmosphere is about 1500 W/m2. What is the intensity of the

Question

The intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth's atmosphere is about 1500 W/m2. What is the intensity of the sunlight that reaches Jupiter? Jupiter is 5.3 times as far from the sun as Earth. [Hint: Treat the Sun as an isotropic source of light waves.]

W/m2

Answer 1

Let Re be the radius from earth to the Sun and Rj be the radius from Jupiter to the Sun, Now the source intensity of the Sun J can be found by:

J = Er*(Re)^2 in W/sr. where Er = 1.5x10^3 W/m^2.

Then the irradiance (not intensity) at Jupiter is

Ej = J/Rj^2 = J/(5.3*Re)^2 = Er/(5.3)^2 = 1.5x10^3/29.09 = 53.4W/m^2

Answer 2

Hint: Electromagnetic Radiation ( sunlight included) drops at a rate proportional to 1 / distance^2 So this should help you get your answer.

Figure it out exactly however your answer should be close to 60 W/m2

Answer 3

OVER 9000