A Meteor Explosion: Calculating Distance

The Mystery of the Exploding Meteor

A meteor is observed to explode in the sky, creating a dazzling display of light. However, it is not just the visual spectacle that captures our attention. A third of a minute later, a loud "boom" is heard, indicating that the explosion also produced a significant sound wave that traveled through the atmosphere.

Given that sound travels at a speed of 300 meters per second, we can use this information to calculate how far away the meteor broke up. By understanding the relationship between the speed of sound and the time it took for the sound wave to reach us, we can determine the distance of the explosion from our location.

Calculating the Distance

Distance: D = V·t

Given that the time it took for the sound wave to reach us is one-third of a minute (20 seconds), and the speed of sound is 300 meters per second, we can plug in the values to find the distance.

Thus, D = 300·20 = 6,000 meters

Therefore, the meteor broke up approximately 6,000 meters away from our location.

How far away did the meteor break up?

Explanation: Given: t = 1/3 minute = 20 seconds V = 300 m/s D = V·t D = 300·20 D = 6,000 meters