A particle is moving at about 0.86 c.By what percentage is the Newtonian expression for momentum in error? (The percentage error is the difference between the erroneous and correct expressions,relative to the correct one. )
A)49%
B)40%
C)55%
D)62%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The relativistic momentum is given by p = γmv, where γ = 1/√(1-v²/c²). For v = 0.86c, γ ≈ 2. The Newtonian momentum is mv. The percentage error is [(γmv - mv) / (γmv)] * 100% = [(2mv - mv) / (2mv)] * 100% = 50%. The closest choice is 49%.

A Particle Is Moving at About 0