Test-Style Multiple Choice Question: A nuclear explosion on Earth generates an e

Question

Test-Style Multiple Choice Question: A nuclear explosion on Earth generates an electromagnetic pulse that travels away from the Earth. A long distance from Earth, scientists on an alien planet named Tutheleftaya, a distance L from the Earth, detect the pulse. Since the pulse travels at the speed of light, they detect it at time t=L/c after the pulse was created on Earth. Another group of scientists on another alien planet, named Offtatheright, which is also a distance LL away from the Earth, but in the opposite direction, also detect the pulse. Since they are the same distance from the Earth, they detect it at the same time as the scientists on Tutheleftaya. In the reference frame of someone traveling on a spaceship going from the Earth to Tutheleftaya, which group of scientists detects the pulse first? (Hint - you can figure this out intuitively, or you can use the Lorentz transformations. I suggest that you use your intuition, and then check your intuition using the Lorentz transformations.)

The scientists on Tutheleftaya

The scientists on Offtatheright

They receive it at the same time.

It depends on how fast the spaceship is going.

It depends on the wavelength of the pulse.

It depends on which group of scientists have the biggest research grant.

None of the above

Explanation / Answer

They will recieve the signal at the same time. According to Lorentz Transformation the time and space coordinates are related with different frame of references.Since the two planets are at an equal distance from the earth, so they will have same space coordinates and therefore the time will be same.

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