Light from the sun reaches the Earth in 8.3 minutes. The velocity or the speed of light is 3.00 x 108 m/s. How far is the Earth from the sun? Answer in both meters and miles. (1 mile = 1,609 meters)
Question
Light from the sun reaches the Earth in 8.3 minutes. The velocity or the speed of light is 3.00 x 108 m/s. How far is the Earth from the sun? Answer in both meters and miles. (1 mile = 1,609 meters)
Solution
To find the distance between the Earth and the Sun, we can use the formula for distance which is speed multiplied by time.
Step 1: Convert the time from minutes to seconds 8.3 minutes = 8.3 * 60 = 498 seconds
Step 2: Multiply the speed of light by the time to get the distance in meters Distance = Speed * Time Distance = 3.00 x 10^8 m/s * 498 s = 1.494 x 10^11 meters
Step 3: Convert the distance from meters to miles 1 mile = 1,609 meters Distance = 1.494 x 10^11 m / 1,609 m/mile = 9.28 x 10^7 miles
So, the Earth is approximately 1.494 x 10^11 meters or 9.28 x 10^7 miles away from the Sun.
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