A spaceship whizzes past a planet at high speed. An observer on the planet sees a contracted spaceship, while an observer on the spaceship sees
A)a contracted planet.
B)an expanded planet.
C)a normal planet.
D)a contracted or expanded planet depending on the direction of travel.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the theory of relativity, length contraction occurs in the direction of motion for an observer in a different inertial frame. Thus, just as the observer on the planet sees a contracted spaceship, an observer on the spaceship would see a contracted planet.

A Spaceship Whizzes Past a Planet at High Speed