Ratio of Sun's diameter to Moon's

From there, you can use the ratio of the sides to find the ratio of the diameters. In summary, to find the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the moon's diameter during a total solar eclipse, you can use similar triangles and the given distances from you to the sun and moon. This will allow you to calculate the ratio of the sides and thus the ratio of the diameters.
  • #1
rtsphysics
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Homework Statement


During a total solar eclipse, your view of the Sun is almost exactly replaced by your view of the moon. Assuming that the distance from you to the sun is 400 times the distance from you to the moon, find the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the moon's diameter.


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I started by drawing three circles: the Sun at the left of the moon at the left of the Earth. After this, I'm stuck. The problem never states whether the given distances from "you to the moon/sun" include the radius of the moon or sun. Even if it does, I have no idea how to proceed. I read the post about this exact problem (https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=318386), but I didn't get how to use similar triangles.
 
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  • #2
Try drawing two similar triangles, one with the moon's diamter as the base and one with the sun's - you know the length of the sides of the moon triangle
 

1. What is the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's?

The ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's is approximately 400:1. This means that the Sun's diameter is about 400 times larger than the Moon's diameter.

2. Why is the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's important?

The ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's is important because it affects the appearance of solar and lunar eclipses. If the ratio was significantly different, these celestial events would not appear as they do to us on Earth.

3. How was the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's determined?

The ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's was determined through precise measurements and calculations using the Earth's distance from the Sun and Moon's distance from the Earth. It has been confirmed through various observations and space missions.

4. Does the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's change over time?

No, the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's remains relatively constant. While the Sun and Moon do appear to change in size due to their orbits and Earth's changing distance from them, the ratio between their diameters remains the same.

5. How does the ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's compare to other planets and moons in our solar system?

The ratio of the Sun's diameter to the Moon's is unique to Earth's specific relationship with these celestial bodies. Other planets and their moons have different ratios, some larger and some smaller, depending on their size and distance from each other and the Sun.

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