Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 37 - Relativity - Problems - Page 1147: 25c

Answer

The big flash occurs first to S'

Work Step by Step

We can find $\gamma$: $\gamma = \frac{1}{\sqrt{1-\beta^2}}$ $\gamma = \frac{1}{\sqrt{1-0.480^2}}$ $\gamma = 1.14$ We can find the temporal coordinate $t_1'$ of the big flash: $t_1' = \gamma~(t_1-vx_1/c^2)$ $t_1' = 1.14~[(0)-\frac{-(0.480)(1200~m)}{(3.0\times 10^8~m/s)}]$ $t_1' = (1.14)(1.92\times 10^{-6}~s)$ $t_1' = 2.189\times 10^{-6}~s$ We can find the temporal coordinate $t_2'$ of the small flash: $t_2' = \gamma~(t_2-vx_2/c^2)$ $t_2' = 1.14~[(5.00\times 10^{-6}~s)-\frac{-(0.480)(480~m)}{(3.0\times 10^8~m/s)}]$ $t_2' = (1.14)(5.00\times 10^{-6}~s+0.768\times 10^{-6}~s)$ $t_2' = 6.576\times 10^{-6}~s$ Since $t_1' \lt t_2',~~$ the big flash occurs first to S'.
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