For a fast (hypothetical) interstellar ship moving at v = 0.95c relative to stars, a distance of 10 ly between neighboring stars would measure
A) 32 ly.
B) 10.5 ly.
C) 3.1 ly.
D) 9.5 ly.
E) 10 ly.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Due to length contraction in special relativity, the distance between stars as measured by the ship moving at 0.95c would be shorter than the rest frame distance. The contracted length is calculated using the Lorentz factor, resulting in approximately 3.1 ly.

For a Fast (Hypothetical) Interstellar Ship Moving at V =