Ben is racing a light beam in a 100-meter dash.Ben bursts out of the starting blocks at 99 percent of the speed of light (0.99c).At the same instant,a flashlight beam is turned on from the starting blocks.
-Refer to the race described above.According to Ben,what happens?
A)The light beam gradually pulls ahead of him and wins the race because it is going 1 percent of the speed of light faster than him.
B)The light beam instantly finishes the race,before Ben even has a chance to start.
C)The light beam moves out ahead of him at the full speed of light,winning the race easily.
D)Ben wins the race and becomes a hero.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is always constant and does not depend on the motion of the observer. Therefore, from Ben's perspective, the light beam will move out ahead of him at the full speed of light, winning the race easily. This is known as the phenomenon of time dilation, in which time appears to slow down for objects moving at high speeds relative to an observer.

Ben Is Racing a Light Beam in a 100-Meter Dash