Wednesday, March 16, 2011

H1 - Introduction to Relativity

Frames of Reference

H1.1 - Describe what is meant by a frame of reference
The point of view of the observer is the frame of reference, When you are standing still and looking at a moving object, you are in the Earth's frame of reference

When a frame of reference is adopted, the position of the observer in that frame becomes the zero of position. If the frame is a moving one, the zero of the position moves with the observer.




Example.

H.1.2 - Describe what is meant by a Galilean Transformation

It is the relationship between two different Galilean transformation. (it does not take the theory of relativity into consideration. 

H.1.3 - Solve problems involving relative velocities using the Galilean Transformation equations.


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G3. This question is about relative velocities.
(a) Describe what is meant by a Galilean Transformation. /1)
Are transformation made under the assumptions that time measurements are independent of the observer

(b) Two electrons travel along the same straight line towards each other. The speed of each electron with       respect to an observer in the laboratory frame of reference is 0.9800 c.

Calculate the relative speed of the electrons using
(I) the Galilean transformation equation. /1]


Speed of the electrion would equal 0.98 c * 2 = 1.86 c



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Option G Relativity

GI. This question is about the speed of light.
A pion is an unstable particle that decays into two photons. A particular pion,   travelling at 0.900 c with respect to an observer at rest in a laboratory, decays into two photons, L and R, travelling in opposite directions as shown in the      diagram.




The speed of both photons as measured by the observer at rest with respect to the pion is e.
(a) Calculate the velocity of photon R with respect to the observer in the        laboratory using
(i) Galilean kinematics.

The Velocity of Photon R using Galilean kinematics would be 1.9c

What is the limitation of Galilean transformation technique? What was 'invented' to overcome this?


1 comment:

  1. great work Smarty - make sure you catch up on the work missed in today's lesson (Monday) though

    ReplyDelete