All Questions
41
questions
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Relativity problem about light signals and rockets equipped with mirrors [closed]
I find in a relativity book a problem that states:
"A rocket with its own length $L$ moves away from Earth at a constant velocity $v$. A radar signal emitted from a ground station is reflected ...
- 1
1
vote
2
answers
547
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"Rear clock ahead" effect in special relativity
I've read (pretty much) all the questions in the site regarding the topic, however I wasn't able to comprehend the author's solution to the problem in its totality. The problem is from David Morin's ...
- 13
2
votes
2
answers
144
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Does this special relativity question have enough information to solve it?
I recently encountered this question:
How long would an someone need to spend on the ISS so that
their biological clock would be one day younger than their twin who stayed on Earth? The ISS is ...
- 414
0
votes
1
answer
127
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Relative speed of a spaceship question
We are just starting to learn about relativity and special relativity in class and I feel like I am having a really hard time wrapping my brain around it, especially when it comes to spaceship ...
1
vote
3
answers
189
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Why is $dt/d\tau=\gamma$? What is $dt/d\tau$ supposed to mean exactly?
I'm a math student trying to learn some physics by reading Susskind's The Theoretical Minimum. In the volume on special relativity he derives that $\frac{dt}{d\tau}=\gamma=1/\sqrt{1-v^2}$ and uses it ...
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1
vote
3
answers
265
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Velocity addition in Special Relativity
A train is driving at 0.8c relative to the rails.
On the train, a car is driving with 0.8c relative to the train, in the same direction as the train.
How fast is the car driving relative to the rails?
...
- 41
0
votes
2
answers
111
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Special relativity - what's the difference between the two problems? [closed]
Exercise 1:
In frame $S$, event $B$ occurs $2 \cdot 10^{-6} \mathrm{ s}$ after event $A$ and at $\Delta x = 1.5 \mathrm{ km}$ from event $A$.
(a) How fast must an observer be moving along the $+x$ ...
- 287
2
votes
2
answers
152
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Twin Paradox - Why am I missing 0.2 years?
The situation: we have Earth, a star and an exoplanet, all in one line. The star is between the Earth and the exoplanet and 1 light year away from each.
At the start of this thought experiment, Mark ...
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0
votes
1
answer
51
views
Is one of these solved problems incorrect? [closed]
I am currently learning about the Lorentz transformations. So I compared two solved problems from two different textbooks in order to see how the Lorentz transformations are applied. I got confused ...
- 111
0
votes
2
answers
601
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Scenarios for objects moving 99.99% the speed of light. How long will it take them?
My understanding:
It's my understanding that when travelling close to the speed of light, that time dilation occurs.
I've seen different formulae
I found this formula:
$\Delta t' = \frac{\Delta t}{\...
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0
votes
1
answer
59
views
Two trains ABC and PQR are moving with equal speeds in opposite directions relative to a platform observer. Special relativity problem [closed]
Observers B and Q stand at the midpoints of their trains. A flash of light E1 is emitted when A and P coincide and another E2 when C and R coincide. The platform observer sees both flashes at the same ...
1
vote
3
answers
355
views
Twin paradox calculation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_paradox
this is an article from wikipedia about the twin paradox.
an excerpt from "specific example"
How would I calculate the earth years from the ...
- 223
2
votes
2
answers
123
views
Events and lorentz transform
A and B both start at the origin and simultaneously head off in opposite directions at speed $3c/5$ with respect to the ground. A moves to the right, and B moves to the left. Consider a mark on the ...
- 980
1
vote
3
answers
237
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Apparent paradox in special relativity
I was recently set a simple homework problem. Bob sees Alice come past him in the positive $x$ direction. They have identical spaceships, each with three clocks spaced evenly along the ships. In the ...
- 610
0
votes
4
answers
127
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How do bodies moving relative to each other measure light the same?
I am not a pysicist, just an amateur, so this might be a simple question but it has me stumped. I have dug the internet for some type of answer but can't find any so I decided to ask here.
Suppose you ...
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