Person A is standing at x = 9.0 km. Lightning bolt 1 strikes at x = 0 km and lig

Question

Person A is standing at x = 9.0 km. Lightning bolt 1 strikes at x = 0 km and lightning bolt 2 strikes at x = 15 km. Both flashes reach your eye at the same time. Person B is standing at x = 3 km.

Does Person B see the flashes at the same time? If not, what is the time difference between the two?

I found that Person B does not see the flashes at the same time. I've done some calculations.
c = 3 * 10^8 m/s
(for time diff Person A) 0 s = t1 - 9,000/c, 0 = t2 - 6,000/c
t1 - t2 = (30 microseconds - 20 microseconds) = 10 microseconds difference, which I presume means that lightning bolt A struck at t= 0 microseconds, while lightning bolt B struck at t = 10 microseconds, but this is wrong. Can anyone work this out/ tell me where I went wrong? Help please!

Explanation / Answer

LEt lightning at x=0 strike at t=0 then as per A seeing the lightning at same time lightning at x=15 should strike at t=1/10^5 ( 9*10^3/3*10^8 - 6*10^3/3*10^8 ) therefore ans = 4/10^5 sec

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse P
• Subjects

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