The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 1,079,252,848.8 kilometers per hour. This is a fundamental constant in physics and is denoted by the letter c.
To put it simply, light travels at this incredible speed in a vacuum, which is the fastest speed at which all conventional matter and information can travel. This speed is crucial in many areas of physics, including the theory of relativity.
Here’s a breakdown of how this speed is calculated:
- The speed of light in meters per second is approximately 299,792,458 m/s.
- To convert this to kilometers per hour, multiply by 3,600 (the number of seconds in an hour) and divide by 1,000 (the number of meters in a kilometer).
- So, 299,792,458 m/s × 3,600 ÷ 1,000 = 1,079,252,848.8 km/h.
This speed is so fast that it allows light to travel around the Earth about 7.5 times in just one second!