The distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 240,000 mi. (b) The peregrine falcon has been measured as traveling up to 350 km/ hr in a dive. If this falcon could fly to the Moon at this speed, how many seconds would it take?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Convert the distance from Earth to the Moon from miles to kilometers using the conversion factor: 1 mile = 1.60934 kilometers.
2. Calculate the total distance in kilometers by multiplying 240,000 miles by the conversion factor.
3. Use the formula for time: \( \text{time} = \frac{\text{distance}}{\text{speed}} \) to find the time in hours it would take for the falcon to travel to the Moon.
4. Convert the time from hours to seconds using the conversion factor: 1 hour = 3600 seconds.
5. Multiply the time in hours by 3600 to get the time in seconds.

Key Concepts

Unit Conversion

To solve the problem, it's essential to convert all measurements to the same unit. The distance to the Moon is given in miles, while the falcon's speed is in kilometers per hour. Converting miles to kilometers (1 mile ≈ 1.60934 km) allows for consistent units, making calculations straightforward.

Speed, Distance, and Time Relationship

The relationship between speed, distance, and time is fundamental in physics and can be expressed with the formula: time = distance/speed. Understanding this relationship allows us to calculate how long it would take the falcon to reach the Moon by dividing the total distance by its speed.

Time Conversion

After calculating the time in hours, it is often necessary to convert this value into seconds for a more precise understanding. Since there are 3600 seconds in an hour, multiplying the time in hours by 3600 will yield the total time in seconds, which is the desired unit for this problem.