Radio signals travel at a rate of 3 * 10 ^ 8 meters per second. How many seconds would it take for a radio signal to travel from a satellite to the surface of Earth if the satellite is orbiting at a height of 3.6 * 10 ^ 7 meters? (Hint: Time is distance divided by rate.)
(1 point)
8.3 seconds
1.2 * 10 ^ - 1 seconds
1.08 * 10 ^ 16 seconds
10.8 * 10 ^ 15 seconds
To find the time it takes for the radio signal to travel from the satellite to the surface of the Earth, we can use the formula Time = Distance/Rate.
The distance from the satellite to the surface of the Earth is given as 3.6 * 10^7 meters.
The rate of the radio signal is given as 3 * 10^8 meters per second.
Using the formula, the time it takes for the signal to travel can be calculated as:
Time = (3.6 * 10^7 meters) / (3 * 10^8 meters per second)
Simplifying, we can divide both the numerator and the denominator by 10^7:
Time = 3.6 / 3 * 10^1 / 10^8
Time = 1.2 * 10^-1 seconds
Therefore, the correct answer is:
1.2 * 10^-1 seconds