Consider a Small Comet Nucleus Whose Diameter Is 1 Km

question 28

Essay

Consider a small comet nucleus whose diameter is 1 km and mass is 5 * 10¹¹ kg.It hits Earth head-on, traveling at a speed of 1,000 m/s.How many times larger or smaller is the comet's kinetic energy compared to that of a typical train pulling 20 boxcars whose total mass is
2 * 10⁶ kg and speed is 25 m/s?

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Definitions:

All-or-None

A principle that states a neuron fires with the same potency each time, though action is dependent on whether or not the stimulus meets the threshold.

Action Potential

A temporary reversal of the electrical polarization of the membrane of a neuron or muscle cell, allowing for the transmission of signals.

Neuron

A cell of the nervous system that transmits information through electrical and chemical signals.

Postsynaptic Potential

A change in membrane potential of the postsynaptic terminal of a synapse, typically induced by the binding of neurotransmitters.