When an object moves close to the speed of light relative to Earth,what happens to its dimensions compared to what they were before it began moving,as measured by an Earth-based observer?
A)Only lengths parallel to the direction of travel are decreased.
B)Only lengths perpendicular to the direction of travel are decreased.
C)All lengths are decreased.
D)No lengths are affected.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Length contraction, as predicted by the theory of relativity, occurs only in the direction parallel to the direction of motion. This means that an object moving close to the speed of light would appear shorter along the direction it's moving from the perspective of a stationary observer, such as someone on Earth.

When an Object Moves Close to the Speed of Light