The formula for the velocity of an object is , where v is the velocity of the object, d is the distance traveled, and t is the time elapsed while that distance is traveled.
v=d/t
distance = speed times time
so
time in seconds = distance in meters / speed in meters/second
we need to know:
the speed of light (about 3*10^8 meters/s)
the distance from earth to sun (about
1.5*10^11 meters
Solve for the variable you are looking for. Show your work.
so
t = 1.5*10^11 / 3*10^8
= .5 * 10^3 or 500 seconds
500 seconds / 60 seconds/min
= 8 1/3 minutes for a photon from the sun to get here
Here:
http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=197
Speed of light / distance of the earth from the sun . I tink u ar ryt damön
To solve for the variable we are looking for (time), we can rearrange the formula v = d/t.
Given:
v = speed of light ≈ 3*10^8 meters/second
d = distance from Earth to Sun ≈ 1.5*10^11 meters
First, substitute the given values into the formula to get:
3*10^8 = 1.5*10^11 / t
Now, we need to isolate the variable "t" to solve for it.
1. Multiply both sides of the equation by "t" to remove it from the denominator:
3*10^8 * t = 1.5*10^11
2. Divide both sides of the equation by 3*10^8 to solve for "t":
t = (1.5*10^11) / (3*10^8)
Now, perform the arithmetic calculation:
t = 0.5*10^3
In scientific notation, this can be written as:
t = 5*10^2 seconds
Therefore, the time it takes for light to travel from Earth to the Sun is approximately 5*10^2 seconds, or 500 seconds.