Final answer:
Pluto is 2.85 billion kilometers farther from the sun at aphelion than at perihelion, calculated by taking the difference in Pluto's aphelion and perihelion distances in AU and converting it to kilometers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how much farther Pluto is from the sun at its aphelion compared to its perihelion. To find the distance in kilometers, we need to understand that 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, which is about 150 million km. Pluto's perihelion (closest point to the sun) is approximately 30 AU, while its aphelion (farthest point from the sun) is about 49 AU.
Knowing this, we can calculate the difference in AU first:
- Aphelion distance: 49 AU
- Perihelion distance: 30 AU
- Difference in AU: 49 AU - 30 AU = 19 AU
Next, we convert this distance into kilometers:
Difference in kilometers: 19 AU * 150 million km/AU = 2.85 billion km
Therefore, Pluto is 2.85 billion kilometers farther from the sun at aphelion than at perihelion.