Final answer:
The claim that the Moon's shadow travels at 170 km/h during a total eclipse is false; it actually travels at about 1500 km/h along the eclipse path, resulting in a short duration event of up to 7 minutes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the Moon's shadow travels across at 170 km/hour during a total eclipse is false. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon's shadow actually moves much faster due to the combined effects of the Earth's rotation and the Moon's orbital motion. The tip of the Moon's shadow sweeps eastward at about 1500 kilometers per hour across the Earth's surface. The area where a total solar eclipse is visible is called the eclipse path, and it's only a narrow band.
For anyone standing within this eclipse path, the duration of totality is short, varying in length up to about 7 minutes. This relatively quick movement of the Moon's shadow makes the phenomenon of a total solar eclipse rather brief yet spectacular.