SPECIAL RELATIVITY QUESTION
Bob and Mary have identical meter sticks. Bob gets on a spaceship traveling at 0.5c relative to Mary, who is on Earth. Bob leaves the spaceship in a landing craft that travels away from Sally at 0.1c with respect to the spaceship. According to Sally (in the Earth's reference frame), what is the length of Bob's meter stick?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Who is Sheldon ??

anonymous · Answer

Use the formula for relativistic addition of velocities, then use the resulting velocity to calculate the lorentz contraction of the rod from Mary's point of view.

mathsadness · Answer

I meant bob.

mathsadness · Answer

What is the formula for relativistic addition of velocities?

anonymous · Answer

For velocities along the same direction
$$Vresultant = \frac{ V1+V2 }{ 1+(V1V2/c^2) }$$