Question

help please
if a meter stick travels at the speed of light relative to an observer, how long does the meter stick appear to the observer? show your calculations
helppp pleaseee

Answer 1

this is time dialation.

Answer 2

but is the stick travelling towards the observer or away from him/her?

Answer 3

they are just seeing it its not coming to them or away from them but they just see it

Answer 4

s, they say "v = c"

Answer 5

v is velocity and c is speed of light

Answer 6

\[L=L_0\sqrt{1-\left(\frac{v}{c}\right)^2}\]

Answer 7

yep. v = speed of stick

Answer 8

so, if v=c, the gamma factor becomes "0"
the observer will not be able to see the stick at all!

Answer 9

yeah thats true and plus a meter sticck cannot go at the spped of light

Answer 10

hypothetically! but yes. its length becomes 0

Answer 11

heres a trick question.. what if the observer is also moving with the stick at the same speed ? :P

Answer 12

umm lol the observer couldnt do that but since its too fast he wont be able to see the stick

Answer 13

no. since observer and stick are relatively at rest, he'd see it as a regular meter stick!! :D

Answer 14

with a reduction factor :P

Answer 15

but they are moving so fast how can they be at rest?

Answer 16

relative to each-other, they are at rest.

Answer 17

you are travelling at 40mph and another car is travellin the same speed in the same direction. You'd think the other car is at rest.

Answer 18

ohhh yeaaah i get that part