How long does it take sunlight to travel from the Sun to Earth?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Approximately 8.31 minutes.

Step by step solution

01

Convert the distance into the same unit as the speed

We need to convert the distance from the Sun to Earth to the same unit as the speed of light. Let's convert the distance into miles. Distance = 93,000,000 miles
02

Rearrange the speed formula to find time

The formula of speed is Speed = Distance/Time. We need to rearrange the formula to find time: Time = Distance / Speed
03

Substitute the distance and speed values into the formula

Now, we will substitute the distance and speed values into the formula to find the time: Time = (93,000,000 miles) / (186,282 miles/second)
04

Calculate the time

After substituting the values, we can now calculate the time it takes for sunlight to travel from the Sun to Earth: Time = (93,000,000 miles) / (186,282 miles/second) = 498.67 seconds
05

Convert the time into a more convenient unit

Since 498.67 seconds is not easy to understand, let's convert it into minutes: Time = 498.67 seconds / 60 seconds/minute = 8.31 minutes So, it takes approximately 8.31 minutes for sunlight to travel from the Sun to Earth.

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