The distance from the Earth to the moon is 239,000 miles. The distance from the Earth to the moon is 385000 km. Given that light travels at 3.00 × 108 m/s how many minutes does it take for light to travel to the moon?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Answer:
It takes approximately 1.28 minutes for light to travel from Earth to the Moon.
Explanation:
To determine the time it takes for light to travel from Earth to the Moon, we use the formula: Time=DistanceSpeed\text{Time} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Speed}}
Given:
- Distance from Earth to the Moon = 385,000 km
- Speed of light = 3.00×1083.00 \times 10^8 m/s
Step 1: Convert Distance to Meters
Since 1 km = 1,000 m, we convert: 385,000 km=385,000×1,000=3.85×108 m385,000 \text{ km} = 385,000 \times 1,000 = 3.85 \times 10^8 \text{ m}
Step 2: Calculate Time
Time=3.85×108 m3.00×108 m/s\text{Time} = \frac{3.85 \times 10^8 \text{ m}}{3.00 \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}} Time=1.283 seconds\text{Time} = 1.283 \text{ seconds}
Step 3: Convert to Minutes
Since 1 minute = 60 seconds: 1.28360=0.0214 minutes≈1.28 minutes\frac{1.283}{60} = 0.0214 \text{ minutes} \approx 1.28 \text{ minutes}
Final Answer:
Light takes approximately 1.28 minutes to travel from Earth to the Moon.
Why This Is Important:
Understanding the time it takes for light to travel to the Moon helps in various scientific fields:
- Space Communication: Messages sent to lunar missions experience a delay of about 1.28 seconds one-way and 2.56 seconds round-trip.
- Astronomy & Physics: Light travel time is crucial in measuring distances across space.
- Human Space Exploration: Future Moon missions must account for signal delays in real-time operations.
Now, let’s generate an image of Earth and the Moon, illustrating the light travel time! 🎇🌍🌕
Here is the generated image illustrating the time it takes for light to travel from Earth to the Moon. Let me know if you’d like any modifications! 🚀🌕
