One rather controversial suggestion for the origin of life on the earth is that

Question

One rather controversial suggestion for the origin of life on the earth is that the seeds of life arrived here from outer space in tiny spores - a theory called panspermia. Of course, any life in such spores would have to survive a long journey through the frigid near vacuum of outer space.

If these spores originated at the distance of our nearest star, Alpha Centauri, and traveled at a constant 1000 km/s, how many years would it take for them to make the journey here? (Alpha Centauri is approximately 4 1/4 light years away, and the light year is the distance light travels in 1 year.)

Explanation / Answer

4.25ly * 9,460,730,472,580 km/ly = 4 x 1013 km

4 x 1013 km/ 1000km/s = 4 x 1010 s = 6.7x108m = 4.6x105 days = 1.27x103 years

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse O
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.