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Special Relativity Final

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Ian Meldrick Angelo Gaspar
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14 views11 pages

Special Relativity Final

Uploaded by

Ian Meldrick Angelo Gaspar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SPECIAL RELATIVITY

Frame of reference
• Perspective from which the motion of an object is observer/analysed

• Inertial frame of reference is a reference frame in which an object moves at


constant velocity or is stationary(without acceleration).

• Non-inertial frame of reference is a reference frame in which an object is


accelerating.
First Postulates
The laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference.
Second Postulates
The speed of light (c) is constant regardless of the motion of the source or the observers.

c= 3.00x108 m/s in vacuum.


Time Dilation

Time is no longer absolute it is relative.

Einstein concluded that the faster you move through space the slower you move through time.
t = the dilated time interval is measured by the observer that is in motion with
respect to the event = this observer views the event (the fast moving object) from a
different place.

t0 = the proper time interval is measured by the observer at rest with respect to the
event = this observer views the event (the fast moving object) from the same place

v = is the speed of relative motion

c = speed of light
1. An astronaut is travelling at a constant speed of 2.7 x 108 m/s
relative to the Earth toward a distant star. If this trip takes 25 years
as measured by an observer on Earth, how long does it take relative
to the observer on the space vehicle?

t=

25= to= 25(0.4359)


25=
to = 10.89 or
11 years
2. An astronaut is travelling at a constant speed of 2.95 x 108 m/s relative to the Earth
through space. According to the time devices on the space vehicle, her trip lasted 0.500
years. How long did this trip last relative to an observer on Earth?

t= t=
t= 2.75 years
Length Contraction

Length is also relative

• The faster you go the smaller objects seems to be and the shorter the
distance you perceive yourself to be travelling.
Assignment
1. The spacecraft is moving past the earth at a constant speed v that is 0.92 times the speed of
light. Thus, v (0.92)(3.0 108 m/s), which is often written as v 0.92c. The astronaut measures the
time interval between successive “ticks” of the spacecraft clock to be t 0 1.0 s. What is the time
interval t that an earth observer measures between “ticks” of the astronaut’s clock?

2. A passenger on a fictional high-speed spaceship traveling between Earth and Jupiter at a


steady speed of 0.75c reads a magazine which takes 10.0 min according to her watch. (a) How
long does this take as measured by Earth-based clocks?

3. Suppose you’re an astronaut being paid according to the time you spend traveling in space.
You take a long voyage traveling at a speed near that of light. Upon your return to Earth, you’re
asked how you’d like to be paid: according to the time elapsed on a clock on Earth or according
to your ship’s clock. To maximize your paycheck, which should you choose? (a) The Earth clock
(b) The ship’s clock (c) Either clock because it doesn’t make a difference. Provide an explanation.

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