In a science fiction novel, a starship takes three days to travel between two distant space stations according to its own clocks. Instruments on one of the space stations indicate that the trip took four days. How fast did the starship travel, relative to the space station?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A because the speed of the starship relative to the space station is given by the formula v = d/t, where d is the distance between the two space stations and t is the time it takes the starship to travel that distance according to the space station's clocks. In this case, d = 3 days * 24 hours/day * 3600 seconds/hour * 3 x 10^8 m/s = 2.592 x 10^12 m, and t = 4 days * 24 hours/day * 3600 seconds/hour = 3.456 x 10^5 seconds. Therefore, v = 2.592 x 10^12 m / 3.456 x 10^5 seconds = 1.98 x 10^8 m/s.

In a Science Fiction Novel, a Starship Takes Three Days