Question

Physics Question Inside!

Answer 1

Air has a small, usually negligible index of refraction. It is 1.0002926. This causes the Sun to actually be below the horizon when it appears to be just on the verge of sinking below it. Suppose you are on the sea-shore watching the Sun apparently sinking into the ocean. When only its upper tip is still visible, by what fraction of the diameter of the Sun is that tip actually already below the surface? As an approximation, take the earth's atmosphere as being of uniform density out to a thickness of 8.600 km, beyond which there is no atmosphere. This means that, with the Earth's radius being 6400. km, your line of sight due West along the ocean surface to the horizon will intersect this "upper surface" of the atmosphere at about 331.9 km from your eye. (The diameter of the sun subtends 0.5000 degrees at your eye.)

Answer 2

Anyone have any idea what this means or how to solve it?

Answer 3

Is that an essay?

Answer 4

no... it's a physics problem...

Answer 5

What topic problem is it?

Answer 6

it's a defraction problem.

Answer 7

can you help me with it?

Answer 8

I would love to but unfortunately i can't. :/

Answer 9

ok...thanks anyways...

Answer 10

I could draw so much.. dunnno what happens later :P

Answer 11

wow! thanks so much! do you have any idea how to find the angle of incidence?

Answer 12

hey i dunno if that diagram is totally correct or .. something is missing.. and i got stuck at finding the angle of incidence too... i think for that you have to use the data that the diameter of the sun extends an angle of .5 degrees.. but i dunno how to use it to give the 'i'