Question

A meteor moving 486 km per minute traveling in a north-to-south direction passed near Earth in 2015. Because the meteor was only 54 m wide and was 72,070 km above the Earth's surface, it was not visible without the aid of a telescope. Which statement accurately describes the meteor's motion?

Answer 1

The statement that correctly describes the meteor's motion is that its velocity was 7.8 km/s northward.

Velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. In this case, the speed is given as 468 km per minute, and the direction is mentioned as northward.

To convert speed to velocity, divide the speed by the time. In this scenario,
`\( \frac{468 \, \text{km}}{\text{minute}} = 7.8 \, \text{km/s} \)` northward.

The meteor's velocity of 7.8 km/s northward indicates both its speed and direction. This vector quantity helps characterize its motion accurately, crucial for understanding celestial bodies' trajectories.

A meteor moving 468 km per minute traveling in a south-to-north direction passed near Earth in 2013. Because the meteor was only 45 m wide and was 27,700 km above Earth’s surface, it was not visible without the aid of a telescope.

Which statement describes the meteor’s motion?

Its velocity was 7.8 km/s northward.

Its acceleration was 468 km/s2.

Its speed was 468 km/s northward.

Its acceleration was 7.8 km/s2.