The average separation between the sun and the earth in terms of light years is 8.311 minutes. Here, minutes indicate:
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is option 2 i.e. distance.
The average separation between the Sun and the Earth is said to be 8.311 light minutes, which indicates the distance that light travels in 8.311 minutes. Here, 'minutes' do not refer to time directly but are used to express distance in terms of the time light takes to travel. Light covers about 18 million kilometers in one minute, so 8.311 light minutes equal approximately 149.6 million kilometers — the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, also called one astronomical unit.