83.4k views
5 votes
The Sun has an angular diameter of about 0.5∘ and an average distance of about 150 million km. What is the Sun's approximate physical diameter in km?

1 Answer

2 votes
To find the physical diameter of the Sun, we can use the formula for angular size:

d = D * tan(Θ/2),

where d is the physical diameter, D is the distance from the observer to the object, and Θ is the angular size.

Given that the angular diameter of the Sun is about 0.5 degrees and its average distance is about 150 million km, we have:

d = 150 million km * tan(0.5∘/2) = 150 million km * tan(0.25∘)

Since the tangent function is a continuous function, we can use an approximation to find its value:

tan(0.25∘) ≈ 0.0043

Therefore:

d ≈ 150 million km * 0.0043 = 645,000 km

So, the Sun's approximate physical diameter is 645,000 km
User Vwvolodya
by
8.1k points
Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.