) If an ocean is opening at a rate of 5 cm/year and it has been doing so at the same rate for 10 million years, approximately how wide is that ocean?
10,000,000 * 5 = 50,000,000 cm
50,000,000 / 100 = 500,000 meters
500,000/1,000 = 500 kilometers
To calculate the width of the ocean, you need to multiply the rate of opening by the number of years. Here's how you can do it step-by-step:
1. Convert the rate of opening from centimeters/year to meters/year. Since there are 100 centimeters in a meter, divide the rate by 100:
5 cm/year ÷ 100 cm/m = 0.05 m/year
2. Multiply the rate of opening by the number of years:
0.05 m/year × 10,000,000 years = 500,000 m
3. Convert the width from meters to kilometers, as it is a more appropriate unit for ocean size. Since there are 1000 meters in a kilometer, divide the width by 1000:
500,000 m ÷ 1000 m/km = 500 km
Therefore, the ocean would be approximately 500 kilometers wide if it has been opening at a rate of 5 cm/year for 10 million years.