How fast would a rocket ship have to move to contract to half of its proper length (as observed by a stationary object)?
A)0.25c
B)0.50c
C)0.65c
D)0.78c
E)0.87c

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the theory of special relativity, length contraction occurs at relativistic speeds. The Lorentz factor (γ) is used to calculate this, where γ = 1/√(1-v²/c²). For the length to contract to half, γ must be 2. Solving 1/√(1-v²/c²) = 2 gives v ≈ 0.87c.

How Fast Would a Rocket Ship Have to Move to Contract