Problems to play with - a homework assignment

I would like you to work on these questions next week - to be turned in by the end of the week.  You can start to think about them early if you wish.

Radius of Earth = 6.4 x 10^6 m

Radius of Moon = 1.74 x 10^6 m

Radius of Sun = 6.96 x 10^8 m

Distance from Earth to Sun (on average; one "Astronomical Unit" or AU) = 1.5 x 10^11 m

Distance from Earth to Moon = 3.84 x 10^8 m

Mass of Sun (one "solar mass") = 2 x 10^30 kg

Mass of Earth = 6 x 10^24 kg

Speed of light (in a vacuum) = c = 3 x 10^8 m/s

For constant (or average) speed:  v = d/t

Calculate the following:

1.  Distance between Earth and Moon, in Moon diameters. 

2.  Distance from Earth to Sun, in Earth diameters

3.  Amount of time it takes light to reach the Earth from the Moon, in seconds.  

4.  Amount of time it takes light from the Sun to reach Earth, in minutes

5.  Amount of time required for light to travel from the Sun to Pluto (40 AU from the Sun, on average) in hours

6.  Ratio of Earth diameter to Moon diameter

7.  How far light travels in one minute (LM)

8.  Ratio of Sun diameter to Earth diameter

9.  Distance to nearest star (other than Sun) - find the star and the distance (by looking it up)

10.  Approximately how great a distance could light travel during your lifetime?  (This could be termed a "light-lifespan", if you like.)

11.  If you could travel at Earth's escape velocity (11,200 m/s), how long would it take you to reach the Moon?  How long would it take you to reach the nearest star (see 9 above)?

12.  Ratio of the biggest planet (Jupiter) diameter to Earth (diameter)