Correct Answer:
D. None of these (8.3 Minutes)
Explanation:
The correct answer is None of these (8.3 Minutes) because sunlight requires approximately 8 minutes and 20 seconds (or roughly 8.3 minutes) to cross the massive distance to Earth.
- Step 1 (Distance vs. Speed): The average distance from the Sun to the Earth is approximately 149.6 million kilometers. Light travels through the vacuum of space at a fixed speed of roughly 299,792 kilometers per second.
- Step 2 (Mathematical Calculation): Dividing the total distance by the speed of light yields a travel duration of roughly 500 seconds. Converting 500 seconds into minutes results in exactly 8 minutes and 20 seconds, which equals 8.3 minutes.
- Incorrect Options:
- 8 Seconds is incorrect because light would only travel about 2.4 million kilometers in this tiny window, barely passing the orbit of our Moon.
- 8 Minutes is incorrect on its own because it leaves out the remaining 20 seconds, making option 4 the more accurate structural answer choice.
- 17 Seconds is incorrect because this duration is vastly insufficient for light to bridge interplanetary distances.