Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 26 - The Special Theory of Relativity - General Problems - Page 770: 78

Answer

c

Work Step by Step

All observers measure the speed of a light beam to be c. Check this. Let the Earth’s reference frame be S and the ship’s reference frame be S’. The velocity of the ship relative to the Earth is v = +0.70c. The velocity of the light beam relative to the ship is u’=+c. Use the relativistic velocity addition formula, equation 26–10, to find the velocity of the light as measured by Earth observers. $$u=\frac{v+u’}{1+\frac{vu’}{c^2}}$$ $$u=\frac{0.70c+c}{1+(0.70)(1)}= c$$
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