How can you determine the distance to a spacecraft from the time it takes its radio signal to reach Earth?

What will be an ideal response?


In a vacuum, all electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves, travel at the same speed: 300,000 km/s. Measuring the time it takes the radio signal to reach us and multiplying by 300,000 km/s gives the distance to the spacecraft.

Physics & Space Science

You might also like to view...

A black hole consists of a large ________ in a small space.

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Physics & Space Science

An object is hung using a metal spring. If now a current is passed through the spring, what will happen to this system?

A) The spring will begin to swing like a pendulum. B) The spring will extend, lowering the weight. C) The spring will contract, raising the weight. D) The weight will not move. E) None of these are true.

Physics & Space Science

Radiation Activity: The half-life of radioactive iodine-137 is 8.0 days. How many iodine nuclei are necessary to produce an activity of 1.0 ?Ci? (1 Ci = 3.70 × 1010 Bq)

A. 2.9 × 109 B. 4.6 × 109 C. 3.7 × 1010 D. 7.6 × 1012

Physics & Space Science

Power: If the resistance in a constant voltage circuit is doubled, the power dissipated by that circuit will

A. increase by a factor of two. B. increase by a factor of four. C. decrease to one-half its original value. D. decrease to one-fourth its original value.

Physics & Space Science