What is the maximum distance between the Earth and Mercury in kilometers?

Question

The maximum distance between the Sun and Mercury is 7.0 × 10 7 7.0 × 10 7 km while the maximum distance between the Sun and the Earth is 1.5 × 10 8 1.5 × 10 8 km.

Answer 1

First, information about the orbits:

 

    Mercury is closer to the Sun than the Earth; its orbit is elliptical;

                 maximum distance from the Sun = 7*10⁷km

 

    Earth also has an elliptical orbit;      

                  maximum distance from the Sun = 1.5*10¹¹ km

 

The "maximum distance between the Earth and Mercury" is"

  )max distance from Earth and Sun) + (diameter of Sun) + (maximum distance from Sun to Mercury)

 

Note: this assumes that distance from the Sun in measured from the centers.

 

So.   1.5*10¹¹ + 7*10⁷          [leave out diameter of um]

      150,000,000,000 + 70.000.000 = 150.070.000,000   =    1.507*10¹¹ km

 

This also assumes that the apogee or the Earth and of Mercury can occur opposite sides of the Sun.

Answer 2

Mercury between Earth and Sun.

 

1.5 x 10^8 km  -  7.0 x 10^7 km

 

10^7 (   1.5 * 10 - 7.0) <--- factors out 10^7

 

10^7 ( 15 - 7) =

 

8 x 10^7

 

 

Alternatively, you can do 150000000 - 70000000 = 80000000