Modern Physics, PHY 104 Date: 27 January 2023

Recitation 1

This recitation explores the following:

ˆ Lorentz transformations

ˆ Length contraction

ˆ Time dilation

ˆ Relativity of simultaneity

1. Starting from the Lorentz transformations, derive length contraction, time dilation, and the
‘rear clock ahead’ effect.

2. If average (proper) lifetime of a µ-meson is 2.3 × 10−6 s, what average distance would it travel
in vacuum before dying as measured in the reference frames in which its velocity is 0.0c, 0.6c,
0.9c, 0.99c, and 0.9999c?

3. At what speed v will the Galilean and Lorentz expressions differ by (a) 0.1%, (b) 1.0%,(c)
10.0%?

4. The rest radius of the Earth may be taken as 6400 km and its orbital speed about the Sun
as 30 km/s. By how much would the Earth’s diameter appear to be shortened to an observer on
the sun, due to the Earth’s orbital motion?

5. The length of a spaceship is measured to be exactly half its proper length. (a) What is the
speed of the spaceship relative to the observer’s frame? (b) What is the dilation of the spaceship’s
unit time?

6. Suppose a spaceship is running towards the Earth at steady 0.75c (w.r.t the Earth). It aims
at the Earth and fires a projectile at 0.5c according to its gun. (a) What is the velocity of the
projectile as recorded by an observatory on the Earth? (b) How much time do we have before
the impact if the position of the projectile is a radial million km from the Earth?

Date: 27 January 2023 1