

Special Relativity (Physics 11)
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Physics
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10th - 12th Grade
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Practice Problem
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Jack Hong
Used 11+ times
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17 Slides • 9 Questions
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Special Relativity (Physics 11)

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Some extraordinary claims
Time slows down in a moving reference frame.
Lengths contract in the direction of motion.
Simultaneous events in one reference frame may not be simultaneous in another reference frame.
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Electromagnetism and light
How are balloons, circuits, and magnets related to light?
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Electrostatics: Coulomb's Law
F=r2kq1q2=4πϵ01⋅r2q1q2
ϵ0=8.854×10−12 A2⋅kg−1⋅m−3⋅s4
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Magnetostatics: Ampere Force Law
F=2πμ0L⋅rI1I2
μ0=1.257 ×10−6 A−2⋅kg⋅m⋅s−2
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Multiple Select
Select all that apply.
ϵ0=8.854×10−12 A2⋅kg−1⋅m−3⋅s4
μ0=1.257×10−6 A−2⋅kg⋅m⋅s−2
ϵ0μ01=
The speed of light
2.998×108 m/s
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A few new questions
What is light waving through? (i.e. What is the medium?)
In which reference frame does light travel at its characteristic speed?
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The ether hypothesis
Light travels through a substance called the ether. It travels at its characteristic speed only in the frame of reference of the ether.
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Multiple Choice
A tennis ball is falling straight down and you run towards it trying to catch it in a tube. Should you point the tube straight up or tilt it in some direction?
Point straight up
Tilt in the direction of motion
Tilt opposite the direction of motion
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Aberration of star light
Astronomers have to tilt their telescopes in the direction of the Earths motion.
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Multiple Choice
What does the aberration of star light imply about our speed relative to the ether?
We are moving relative to the ether.
We are at rest relative to the ether.
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Fill in the Blanks
A swimmer who can swim at 2 m/s in still water swims 12 m downstream, then 12 m upstream in a current of 1 m/s. How much time did he take? (Enter a number in seconds.)
Type answer...
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Fill in the Blanks
The same swimmer (2 m/s) swims perpendicular across the same current (1 m/s) for 12 m each way. How much time did he take? Enter a number in seconds with 3 significant figures.
Hint: By the Pythagorean theorem, his crossing velocity is vc=22−12=3
Type answer...
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Michelson-Morley Experiment
The experiment attempted to measure the difference in the speed of light upstream/downstream vs cross-stream. No difference was detected.
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Multiple Choice
What does the null result of the Michelson-Morley experiment imply about our speed relative to the ether?
We are moving relative to the ether.
We are at rest relative to the ether.
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Einstein's Postulates
Absolute uniform motion cannot be detected.
The velocity of light does not depend upon the velocity of its source.
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Time dilation
Time slows down in a moving reference frame.
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The Light Clock
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Multiple Choice
For a stationary light clock, what is the time between ticks?
Δt=cD
Δt=c2D
Δt=cD
Δt=2cD
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Multiple Choice
For a light clock moving at speed v, the light still travels at speed c, but now it travels at an angle. Using the vertical component of the velocity, what is the time between ticks?
Δt=c2D
Δt=v2D
Δt=c−v2D
Δt=c2−v22D
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Multiple Choice
What would happen to other types of clocks such as mechanical clocks, biological clocks, atomic clocks, etc.?
They would all slow down as well.
They would all speed up.
They would neither slow down nor speed up.
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Time dilation
Time slows down in a moving reference frame.
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The Lorentz Factor
Comparing the two tick times:
Δtstationary=c2D Δtmoving=c2−v22D=c2D⋅1−c2v21
Δtmoving=1−c2v21Δtstationary=γΔtstationary
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The Lorentz Factor
γ=1−c2v21
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Summary of important consequences
Time dilation: time passes more slowly in a moving reference frame.
Length contraction: distances are shorter in the direction of motion
Relativity of simultaneity: Events that are simultaneous in one reference frame may not be simultaneous in another reference frame.
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Some free resources
https://youtu.be/AInCqm5nCzw
https://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/I_15.html
Special Relativity (Physics 11)

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