Estimate the radius of the moon based on a solar eclipse given the distances between the earth and the moon, the earth and the sun, and the radius of the sun.

A diagram showing the moon directly between the earth and the sun is key here. If we call the radii of the sun and the moon rs and rm and the distances from earth Ds and Dm. respectively, there are similar triangles which can be analysed. the hypotenuse of both of the triangles is a straight line from earth tangential with both the moon and the sun, let the angle between this hypotenuse and the line of centres be 'a'. It is clear that tan(a) = rs/Ds = rm/Dm therefore rm=Dm*rs/Ds.

AM

Related PAT University answers

All answers ▸

A function is defined piecewise f(x) = ( e^x for x<0, e^(-x) + 2x for x>= 0). Sketch f(x) and its first, second and third derivatives


How do I approximate an irrational square root without using a calculator?


If water is trapped between two planes on a train, and the train decelerates at 4ms^-2. What angle does the surface of the water make with the horizontal?


Derive the mgh approximation for gravitational potential energy.