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: 70

Answer

a) $6.40\times10^5 \;\rm kg$ b) $35.7\;\rm year$

Work Step by Step

We know that the final kinetic energy of the spaceship is equal to the energy due to converting mass to energy, so $$KE=E=mc^2$$ where $m$ is the amount of mass that is converted to energy. $$\left(\gamma-1\right)m_{1}c^2=mc^2$$ where $m_1$ is the mass of the ship. $$\left(\gamma-1\right)m_{1} =m $$ $$m=\left(\sqrt{\dfrac{1}{1-\dfrac{v^2}{c^2}}}-1\right)m_{1} $$ Plugging the known; $$m=\left(\sqrt{\dfrac{1}{1-\dfrac{(0.7c)^2}{c^2}}}-1\right)m_{1}$$ $$m= \left(\sqrt{\dfrac{1}{1- 0.7^2} }-1\right)\times 160\;000 $$ $$m =\color{red}{\bf 6.40\times10^5}\;\rm kg$$ b) Now we need to find the time the journey takes relative to the onboard astronauts. We know that the time according to the astronauts is given by $$\Delta t_{onboard} =\Delta t \sqrt{1-\dfrac{v^2}{c^2}}\tag 1$$ And we know that the time the trip would take for an observer on Earth (outside the system) is given by $$v=\dfrac{\Delta x}{\Delta t}$$ and hence, $$\Delta t=\dfrac{\Delta x}{v}$$ Plugging into (1) and then plugging the known; $$\Delta t_{onboard} =\dfrac{\Delta x}{v} \sqrt{1-\dfrac{v^2}{c^2}} $$ $$\Delta t_{onboard} =\dfrac{35c}{0.7c} \sqrt{1-\dfrac{0.7^2c^2}{c^2}} $$ Noting that the distance of 35 lightyears means the distance traveled by light during one full year which is given by the speed of light times the year. $$\Delta t_{onboard} = \color{red}{\bf 35.7}\;\rm year $$
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