Question

A NASA satellite showed that in 2009 the ozone hole over Antarctica had a maximum surface area of 24.1 million square kilometers. The largest ozone hole on record occurred in 2006 and had a surface area of 29.6 million square kilometers. Calculate the difference in diameter (in meters) between the ozone hole in 2009 and 2006.

Answer 1

To find the diameter you can approximate the shape of the hole to a circle.

Tha area of a circle is π(r^2)

Then, area in 2009 = 24.1 * 10^6 km^2 => (r^2) = 24.1*10^6 km^2 / π = 7.67 * 10^6 km^2 => r = 2.77*10^3 km => diameter = 5.54*10^3 km 

Area in 2006 = 29.6*10^6 km^2 => (r^2) = 29.6*10^6 km^2 / π = 9.42*10^6 km^2 => r = 3.07*10^3 km => diameter =  6.14*10^3 km

Difference in diameters: 6.14 * 10^3 km - 5.54 * 10^3 km = 0.6 km = 600m

Answer: 600 m