By what factor is the amount of light gathered by the 10-m diameter Keck telescope on Mauna Kea,Hawaii,greater than that gathered by the 2.5-m diameter Mount Wilson telescope?
A) 4
B) 16
C) 256
D) 2

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The amount of light gathered by a telescope is proportional to the area of its aperture, which is π*(diameter/2)^2. The ratio of the areas of the Keck and Mount Wilson telescopes is (10/2.5)^2 = 16.

By What Factor Is the Amount of Light Gathered by the 10-M