Question

On February 15, 2013, a superbolide meteor (brighter than the Sun) entered Earth’s atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia, and exploded at an altitude of 23.5 km. Eyewitnesses could feel the intense heat from the fireball, and the blast wave from the explosion blew out windows in buildings. The blast wave took approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds to reach ground level. The blast wave traveled at 10° above the horizon. (a) What was the average velocity of the blast wave? (b) Compare this with the speed of sound, which is 343 m/s at sea level.

Answer 1

Velocity,c = 156.67m/s

Explanation: Altitude, d = 23.5km or 23500m

Time duration, T = 2 minutes + 30 seconds = (120 + 30) seconds = 150 seconds

a) Frequency, F = 1/T= 1/150 Hz

Hence, Velocity, c = d X F = 23500 X 1/150

∴ c = 156.67 m/s

b) The speed of sound increases as the wave moves from a lighter medium to denser medium. While the of the superbolide meteor decreases from a lighter medium to denser medium.

Answer 2

a) Average velocity = 156.7m/s

b) Speed of blast wave is 0.457 times the speed of sound wave

Step-by-step explanation:

The step by step calculations is as shown in the attached file.