To determine whether the statement is true or false, we need to understand the units of measurement mentioned: light years and astronomical units (AUs).
1. Astronomical Unit (AU):
- An astronomical unit is a unit of distance that is approximately equal to the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
- In numerical terms, 1 AU is approximately 1.496 x 10^8 kilometers.
2. Light Year:
- A light year is the distance that light travels in one year.
- The speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 299,792 kilometers per second.
- Over one year, this distance amounts to about 9.461 x 10^12 kilometers.
From this information, it is clear that a light year represents a much larger distance compared to an astronomical unit. Therefore, the statement "Light years are smaller in distance than astronomical units" is incorrect.
Final Answer:
○ False
