A spaceship travels with a speed of 0.5c as it passes by the Earth on its way to

Question

A spaceship travels with a speed of 0.5c as it passes by the Earth on its way to a distant star. as shown in the diagram below. The pilot of the spaceship measures the length of the moving ship as 10 m. Determine its length as measured by a per son on Earth. Answer in units of m. The pilot of the spaceship observes that the spaceship travels for 8 years. Determine how much time has passed ac cording to a person on Earth. Answer in units of years. Some time after passing the Earth, the pilot shoots a laser pulse backward at a speed of 1 x 10^8 m/s with respect to the spaceship. Determine the speed of the laser pulse as measured by a person on Earth. Answer in units of m/s.

Explanation / Answer

apply the lorentz factor gamma = 1/(sqrt(1-v^2/c^2)

gamma = 1/(sqrt(1-0.5^2)

gamma = 1.154

new length Lnew = Lo/gamma

Lnew = 10/(1.154)

Lnew = 8.66 m

----------------------

time new = gamma * to

tnew = 8*1.154

tnew = 9.232 years

-------------------------------

speed v = Vo/gamma

V = 3e8/1.154

V = 0.95 c

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.