Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 36 - Relativity - Exercises and Problems - Page 1100: 52

Answer

See the detailed answer below.

Work Step by Step

Let's assume that the Earth's frame is $\rm S$ and the rocket's frame is $\rm S'$. $$\color{blue}{\bf [a]}$$ Your round trip distance is twice the distance between the Earth and the Betelgeuse star, so $d=2L=2\times 430\;\rm ly=\bf 860\;\rm ly$. You need to measure a proper time of 20 years from your frame. So, $\tau=20\;\rm y$, where $$\tau= \sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}\;\cdot t\tag 1$$ Your needed speed relative to the Earth is $$v=\dfrac{2L}{t}\tag 2$$ Solving (1) for $t$ and plug into (2), $$v=\dfrac{2L}{\tau} \sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}} $$ $$\dfrac{\tau}{2L} v= \sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}} $$ Squaring both sides; $$\dfrac{\tau^2}{4L^2}v^2= 1-\frac{v^2}{c^2} $$ $$\dfrac{\tau^2}{4L^2}v^2+\frac{v^2}{c^2} = 1$$ $$v^2\left[ \dfrac{\tau^2c^2+4L^2}{4L^2c^2} \right] = 1$$ $$v=\sqrt{ \dfrac{4L^2c^2}{\tau^2c^2+4L^2} }$$ $$v=\sqrt{ \dfrac{4L^2 }{\tau^2c^2+4L^2} }\;\cdot c$$ Plug the known; where $c=\rm 1\;ly/y$ $$v=\sqrt{\rm \dfrac{4(430\;ly)^2 }{(20\;y)^2\left(\frac{1\;ly}{\;y}\right)^2 +4(430\;ly)^2} }\;\cdot c$$ $$\boxed{v=\color{red}{\bf 0.99973} c}$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ The energy needed to accelerate your rocket is given by $$\Delta E=E_f-E_0$$ where $E_0=mc^2$ which is the rest energy and $E_f= \gamma\; mc^2$ $$\Delta E= \gamma\; mc^2-mc^2=(\gamma -1)mc^2$$ where $\gamma=\left[1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}\right]^{-1/2}$ $$\Delta E=\left (\left[1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}\right]^{-1/2}-1\right)mc^2$$ Plug the known; $$\Delta E=\left (\left[1-\frac{0.99973^2c^2}{c^2}\right]^{-1/2}-1\right)(20,000)(3\times 0^8)^2$$ $$\Delta E=\color{red}{\bf 7.57\times 10^{22}}\;\rm J$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [c]}$$ $$\dfrac{\Delta E}{\Delta E_{\rm Us}}=\dfrac{ 7.57\times 10^{22}}{ 1\times 10^{20}}=\bf 757$$ So the energy needed for such a trip is about 760 times the energy used in the US in 2000, which is an enormous amount of energy.
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