Question

5 of 5 how long does it take a beam of light, such as a radio signal, to travel from an earth laboratory to a spacecraft on mars, a distance of about 22,000,000 miles? a 713.13 seconds b 0.00645 seconds c 178 seconds d 118 seconds

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the speed of light

The speed of light in a vacuum (and approximately in space) is about \( 186,000 \) miles per second. We can use the formula \( \text{time} = \frac{\text{distance}}{\text{speed}} \).

Step2: Plug in the values

The distance \( d = 22,000,000 \) miles and speed \( v = 186,000 \) miles per second. So, \( \text{time} = \frac{22000000}{186000} \).

Step3: Calculate the time

Simplify the fraction: \( \frac{22000000}{186000} \approx 118 \) seconds (after performing the division: \( 22000000\div186000\approx118 \)).

Answer:

D. 118 seconds