If the Earth were represented as a basketball (˜10 in. in diameter) and the Moon as a baseball (˜3 in. in diameter) then, to order of magnitude, what size would best represent the diameter of the Sun
A)10 ft
B)100 ft
C)1000 ft
D)10000 ft

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The diameter of the Earth is about 12,742 km, and the diameter of the Sun is about 1,391,000 km. If the Earth is represented by a 10-inch basketball, then the Sun, being about 109 times the diameter of the Earth, would be represented by a diameter of approximately 1090 inches, or roughly 90.8 feet. The closest order of magnitude to this size is 100 feet, making option B the best representation.

If the Earth Were Represented as a Basketball (˜10 In in Diameter)