2002/08/26 by Snowflake Kicovic, Loren Webb, Kicovic, Snowflake +3 · 2 voices
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Computer network #Computer science #Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies #Mathematics #Network packet #Notation #The Internet #World Wide Web #physics.ed-ph #physics.pop-ph #traceroute
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0208087
3 pages, 2 tables (Word '97 document) and one figure (EPS); Submitted to The Physics Teacher
arxiv created 2002/08/26 · openalex publication_date 2002/08/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The traceroute utility on any computer connected to the Internet can be used to record the roundtrip time for small Internet packets between major Internet traffic hubs. Some of the routes include transmission over transoceanic fiber optic cable. We report on traceroute's use by students to quickly and easily estimate the size of the Earth. This is an inexpensive way to involve introductory physics students in a hands-on use of scientific notation and to teach them about systematics in data.