Question

An out-of-control alien spacecraft is diving into a star at a speed of 1.0 x 10^8 m/s.

Part A
At what speed, relative to the spacecraft, is the starlight approaching?
Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units.
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Answer 1

The speed of the starlight approaching the out-of-control alien spacecraft is approximately equal to the speed of light, which is 3.00 x
`10^8 m/s`

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the speed of the starlight approaching the out-of-control alien spacecraft, we need to use the concept of relative velocity. When two objects are moving towards each other, their relative velocity is the difference between their velocities. In this case, the spacecraft is moving towards the star, so we subtract the speed of the spacecraft from the speed of the starlight.

Speed of the starlight relative to the spacecraft = Speed of the starlight - Speed of the spacecraft

Since the speed of light is constant and very large, we can ignore the spacecraft's speed in comparison. Therefore, the speed of the starlight relative to the spacecraft is approximately equal to the speed of light, which is 3.00 x
`10^8 m/s`