Question

The average distance of Mars from the sun is 2.22 x 10^8 kilometers. Light travels from the sun to Mars at a speed of 3 x 10^5 kilometers per second. To the nearest second, how long will it take light to travel from the sun to Mars?

a) 740 seconds
b) 740,000 seconds
c) 7.4 seconds
d) 7,400 seconds

Answer 1

To the nearest second, it will take light approximately 740 seconds (option a) to travel from the sun to Mars.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find out how long it will take light to travel from the sun to Mars, we need to divide the average distance between Mars and the sun by the speed of light.

Given that the average distance is 2.22 x 10^8 km and the speed of light is 3 x 10^5 km/s, we can calculate:

Time = Distance / Speed = (2.22 x 10^8 km) / (3 x 10^5 km/s) = 740 seconds.

Therefore, to the nearest second, it will take light approximately 740 seconds (option a) to travel from the sun to Mars.