Question Details

Light year is used to measure

Options

A

distance between stars

B

distance between atoms

C

stationary charge

D

none of these

Correct Answer :

distance between stars

Solution :

The correct option is distance between stars.

Understanding Light Year:
A light-year is a unit of astronomical distance. It is defined as the distance that light travels in a vacuum in one Julian year (365.25 days).
Because light travels extremely fast, it can cover vast distances over the span of a year, making the light-year a useful unit for measuring the immense distances between stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects in the universe.

Mathematical Derivation of a Light Year:
We can calculate the physical distance of one light-year using the relationship:
Distance = Speed × Time

1. The speed of light in a vacuum (c) is approximately:
c3×108 m/s

2. The time (t) in one year (in seconds) is:
t=365.25 days×24 hours/day×60 minutes/hour×60 seconds/minute
t3.156×107 seconds

3. Calculating the distance (d):
d=(3×108 m/s)×(3.156×107 s)
d9.46×1015 meters (or about 9.46×1012 kilometers)

Analysis of Options:
- distance between stars: Astronomical distances (like the distance between stars) are incredibly vast, making the light-year an appropriate unit of measurement.
- distance between atoms: Distances between atoms are microscopic and are typically measured in Angstroms (10-10 m) or picometers (10-12 m).
- stationary charge: Charge is a fundamental property of matter measured in Coulombs, not a distance.

Thus, a light-year is used to measure astronomical distances, such as the distance between stars.

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