Final answer:
To determine the speed of a comet hitting the Sun, conservation of energy principles are used to equate the gravitational potential energy at a distance to the kinetic energy before impact, allowing for the calculation of the comet's final speed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the field of astrophysics and involves the calculation of the final velocity of a comet as it impacts the Sun. To calculate the speed of a comet hitting the Sun, one can use the conservation of energy. Assuming the mass of the comet is 740 kg (though it's unclear if this is supposed to be in kilograms, as the unit is not provided), the potential energy of the comet at a great distance from the Sun is essentially zero. When it falls into the Sun's gravitational well, all of that potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.
One can apply the formula for gravitational potential energy (U = -GMm/r) and set it equal to the kinetic energy (K = 1/2 mv^2) at the surface of the Sun (where r is the Sun's radius) to solve for v, the comet's velocity. Note that G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the Sun, and m is the mass of the comet. Through this conservation of energy approach, the final speed can be derived, noting that the initial kinetic energy is negligible and the comet starts from a very large distance (where potential energy is near zero).