The distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 240,000 mi. (c) The speed of light is 3.00 ⨉ 10 8 m/s. How long does it take for light to travel from Earth to the Moon and back again?

Hi everyone today, we have a question asking us to determine the amount of time in minutes it takes for light from the sun to reach the Earth at its farthest the Earth is 152.1 million kilometers away from the sun. So the speed of light is 299 million 792, 458 meters per se. So we're going to start out here with our farthest distance from the earth. So we're going to Put 152. million into scientific notation. So 152.1 times 10 to the six km, Times 10 to the 3rd m over one kilometer times one second Over the speed of light. So 299 million 792,000 meters times one minute over 60 seconds. So our kilometers are canceling out, Our meters are canceling out and our seconds are canceling out. And that gives us an answer of 8.46 minutes, and that is our final answer. Thank you for watching. Bye.

Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement

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Brown 15th Edition

Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement

Problem 77c

Chapter 1, Problem 77c

The distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 240,000 mi. (c) The speed of light is 3.00 ⨉ 10⁸ m/s. How long does it take for light to travel from Earth to the Moon and back again?

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Convert the distance from miles to meters using the conversion factor: 1 mile = 1609.34 meters.

Calculate the total distance for a round trip by multiplying the one-way distance by 2.

Use the formula for time: \( t = \frac{d}{v} \), where \( d \) is the total distance and \( v \) is the speed of light.

Substitute the total distance in meters and the speed of light \( 3.00 \times 10^8 \) m/s into the formula.

Solve for \( t \) to find the time it takes for light to travel to the Moon and back.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Speed of Light

The speed of light in a vacuum is a fundamental constant of nature, approximately 3.00 × 10^8 meters per second. This speed is crucial for calculating how long it takes for light to travel a given distance, as it represents the maximum speed at which information or matter can travel in the universe.

Distance Measurement

In this context, the distance from Earth to the Moon is given as approximately 240,000 miles. To perform calculations involving the speed of light, it is essential to convert this distance into meters, as the speed of light is expressed in meters per second. Knowing the correct units is vital for accurate calculations.

Time Calculation

To determine the time it takes for light to travel a certain distance, the formula time = distance/speed is used. In this case, the total distance for a round trip to the Moon is twice the one-way distance. By applying this formula, one can find the time taken for light to make the journey to the Moon and back.

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The distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 240,000 mi. (c) The speed of light is 3.00 ⨉ 108 m/s. How long does it take for light to travel from Earth to the Moon and back again?

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

Key Concepts

Speed of Light

Distance Measurement

Time Calculation

The distance from Earth to the Moon is approximately 240,000 mi. (c) The speed of light is 3.00 ⨉ 10⁸ m/s. How long does it take for light to travel from Earth to the Moon and back again?