A meterstick moving in a direction parallel to its length appears to be only 60.0 cm long to an observer.What is the meterstick's speed relative to the observer? (c = 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s) A) 1.19 × 10⁸ m/s B) 2.40 × 10⁸ m/s C) 2.93 × 10⁸ m/s D) 2.75 × 10⁸ m/s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We will use the length contraction formula:

L' = L * sqrt(1 - (v^2/c^2))

where L is the proper length and L' is the contracted length.

60.0 cm = 100 cm * sqrt(1 - (v^2/c^2))

Solving for v, we get:

v = sqrt((1 - (60.0 cm/100 cm)^2) * c^2)

v = 2.40 × 10^8 m/s

Therefore, the answer is Choice B.

A Meterstick Moving in a Direction Parallel to Its Length