The speed of light is 3.00 times 10^8~m/s. How fast is this in miles per hour (miles/h)?
To convert the speed of light from meters per second (m/s) to miles per hour (miles/h), we need to use conversion factors. Here's how you can do it:
Step 1: Convert meters to kilometers:
Since there are 1000 meters in a kilometer, divide the speed of light by 1000 to get it in kilometers per second (km/s).
3.00 x 10^8 m/s รท 1000 = 3.00 x 10^5 km/s
Step 2: Convert kilometers to miles:
Since there are approximately 0.62137 miles in a kilometer, multiply the speed of light by 0.62137 to get it in miles per second (miles/s).
3.00 x 10^5 km/s x 0.62137 = 1.8641 x 10^5 miles/s
Step 3: Convert seconds to hours:
Since there are 3600 seconds in an hour, multiply the speed of light in miles per second by 3600 to get it in miles per hour (miles/h).
1.8641 x 10^5 miles/s x 3600 = 6.71076 x 10^8 miles/h
Therefore, the speed of light is approximately 6.71 x 10^8 miles per hour.