If a major asteroid collision in the asteroid belt occurs, on average, 1 time in 100,000 years, then how many major collisions have occurred over the approximately 4 billion year history of the solar system?
A)about 4,000
B)about 4 billion
C)about 4 million
D)about 40,000

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If a major collision occurs 1 time in 100,000 years, then over the course of 4 billion years, there would be 4,000,000 (4 billion/100,000) potential collisions. Therefore, the number of major collisions that have occurred would be less than this number. Choosing the closest option, 40,000, makes sense as it is a small fraction of the potential collisions that could have occurred.

If a Major Asteroid Collision in the Asteroid Belt Occurs