8. Ironman can fly at the constant rate of 2.682 kilometers per second. He leaves the Stark tower and flies to the Moon, which is 961,000 miles away, at the same speed. Approximately, how many hours after take-off does Iromman reach the Moon? ( 1 mile \( =1.6 \) kilometers). A. 1.43 B. 40 C. 100 D. 159

To find out how many hours it takes Ironman to reach the Moon, we first convert the distance from miles to kilometers. Since 1 mile equals 1.6 kilometers, 961,000 miles is equal to \( 961,000 \times 1.6 = 1,537,600 \) kilometers. Next, we can calculate the time it takes using the formula: \[ \text{Time} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Speed}} = \frac{1,537,600 \text{ km}}{2.682 \text{ km/s}} \approx 573,205.41 \text{ seconds} \] To convert seconds to hours, we divide by \(3600\) (the number of seconds in an hour): \[ \frac{573,205.41}{3600} \approx 159.22 \text{ hours}. \] So, Ironman reaches the Moon in approximately 159 hours. The correct answer is D. 159. Did you know that the Apollo missions, which took astronauts to the Moon, took roughly 3 days to travel that distance? With Ironman's super speed, he would make the trip in just a fraction of that time! Space travel has fascinated humanity for centuries, inspiring innovations in technology and engineering. Ironman himself, a creation of comic book legend Stan Lee, represents how science fiction can inspire real-world advancements in aerodynamics and propulsion systems!