If the speed of light is 3.0 108 m s–1, calculate the distance covered by light in 2.00 ns

To find the distance covered by light in a given time, you can use the simple formula: distance = speed × time. In this case, we know the speed of light is 3.0 x 10^8 meters per second (m/s), and we need to convert the time from nanoseconds (ns) to seconds (s) for our calculation.

Step-by-Step Calculation

First, let's convert 2.00 nanoseconds into seconds. Since 1 nanosecond is equal to 1 x 10^-9 seconds, we can express 2.00 ns as:

• 2.00 ns = 2.00 x 10^-9 s

Now that we have the time in seconds, we can apply the formula:

• Distance = Speed × Time
• Distance = (3.0 x 10^8 m/s) × (2.00 x 10^-9 s)

Next, we perform the multiplication:

• Distance = 3.0 × 2.00 × 10^8 × 10^-9
• Distance = 6.0 × 10^(-1) m

This simplifies to:

• Distance = 0.6 m

Final Result

Therefore, the distance covered by light in 2.00 nanoseconds is 0.6 meters, or 60 centimeters. This example illustrates how quickly light travels, even in such a short time frame!

Real-World Context

To put this into perspective, consider that light can travel around the Earth more than seven times in just one second. So, in the time it takes for light to travel 0.6 meters, you can imagine how vast distances can be covered in mere moments. This principle is fundamental in fields like telecommunications and astronomy, where the speed of light plays a crucial role in data transmission and understanding the universe.