An Earth observer sees a spaceship at an altitude of 980 m moving downward toward the Earth at a speed of 0.600c.What is the spaceship's altitude as measured by an observer in the spaceship?
A) 588 m
B) 784 m
C) 1630 m
D) 1270 m

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The altitude as measured by an observer in the spaceship is contracted due to length contraction. The formula for length contraction is L = L0 * sqrt(1 - v^2/c^2), where L0 is the proper length (980 m), v is the velocity (0.600c), and c is the speed of light. Calculating this gives approximately 784 m.

An Earth Observer Sees a Spaceship at an Altitude of 980