Calculating Sun's Distance with Light Speed | Need Help with Equations and Units

[motoxtremechick]

hey guys I am new to this thing but i really need some help so i thought i would try it out see how it goes..
so here's the problwm

light traveling at 3.0 times 10^8 m/sec requires 8.3 minutes to reach the earth. how far away is the sun?

my teacher is really picky about showing steps and units and equations =\

any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Doc Al]

What's the basic relationship between distance, speed, and time? Don't forget to convert that time to seconds before calculating the distance.

 

[xRadio]

light is in m/sec soo what do you think you should do first?

 

[motoxtremechick]

yea that's where is started and converted it into 498 seconds
then since were using kinematics equations in class i thought i would use

d=Vit+1/2at^2
d= distance or delta x
and for acceration its delta V over delta t

im just way stuck and I am not sure why

i got 1.2times 10^10th but i think its wrong

 

[Doc Al]

and for acceration its delta V over delta t

The speed of light is a constant--there's no acceleration.

 

[xRadio]

alright let's see what you have:
d = ?
v = 3.0 times 10^8 m/sec
t = 498 seconds

using only v and t you are able to get d

 

[motoxtremechick]

o wow..
i see
all i needed to do was convert it into seconds and then multiply the two huh?
so it would be 1.49times 10^11

 

[motoxtremechick]

thanks so much for taking the time to help me out!