Final answer:
Light from a collision of an asteroid with the Moon would take approximately 1.28 seconds to reach Earth, based on the given distance of 3.84 × 10^5 km and the speed of light.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to the time it would take for light to travel from the Moon to Earth after a major collision of an asteroid with the Moon. The distance between the Moon and Earth is given as 3.84 × 105 km. To calculate the arrival time of light, we use the speed of light in a vacuum, which is approximately 299,792 km/s. You perform the calculation by dividing the distance by the speed of light:
Distance to Moon = 3.84 × 105 km
Speed of light = 299,792 km/s
Travel time = Distance / Speed
Arrival time of light = 3.84 × 105 km / 299,792 km/s ≈ 1.28 seconds
Thus, the light from the asteroid impact would arrive on Earth about 1.28 seconds after the event occurred on the Moon.