Question

ellie is researching space travel for a science project. she learns that in order to leave the earths atmosphere, a rocket must travel at a speed of at least 4.03 x 10^7 meters per hour. what would be the most appropriate unit to use instead of meters per hour? kilometers per second, kilometers per hour, meters per day

Explanation:

Step1: Convert given speed to km/h

Given speed is $4.03\times 10^{7}$ meters per hour. Since 1 kilometer = 1000 meters, $4.03\times 10^{7}$ meters per hour $=\frac{4.03\times 10^{7}}{1000}=4.03\times 10^{4}$ kilometers per hour.

Step2: Analyze units

Kilometers per hour is a large - scale unit for daily - life speeds but for space travel, kilometers per second is a more appropriate unit as space distances are vast and speeds are high. It gives a more manageable and intuitive value for high - speed space travel scenarios compared to meters per hour or meters per day.

Answer:

kilometers per second