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1. Galileo used his pulse like a clock to measure time intervals by counting the

ID: 1357293 • Letter: 1

Question

1.     Galileo used his pulse like a clock to measure time intervals by counting the number of heartbeats. If Galileo were traveling in a spaceship, moving uniformly at a speed near that of light, would he notice any changes in heart rate, assuming the circumstances of his travel produced no significant psychological stress on him? If someone on Earth were observing Galileo with a powerful telescope, would he or she detect any change in Galileo’s heart rate relative to the resting rate on Earth?

This is under my chapter about special relavitity : the physics of high velocity ~ it is also a theoretical question.

Thanks for the help!

Explanation / Answer

This is purely time dialation concept. In his own reference frame, he would not observe hart beat bcasuse the the body is at rest in his frame. In this is case, no time dialation would takes place

If Galileo traveling in space, moving with speed of light, the time is dialated with respect to stationary person on Earth. An observer on Earth would notice however that Galileo's heart rate slowed as he approached the speed of light.

   t' = t . sqrt ( 1 - v2 / c2 )

In his own frame, v = c implies that   t' = t

With respect statinary observer: v is nearer to speed of light , and hence t' < t