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you are flying at 0.97 c with respect to kara. at the exact instant you pass kara, she fires a very short laser pulse in the same direction you're heading.

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The question requires understanding the relativistic velocity addition formula, which is necessary when calculating the relative speeds of objects moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light (c).

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves concepts from special relativity, particularly the addition of velocities. This area of physics deals with how the speed of light (c) is a constant in all inertial frames and how velocities transform from one frame to another moving at a relativistic speed (close to the speed of light).

Relative Velocity of Spaceships and Objects in Relativistic Motion

When calculating the relative velocity of objects moving at a significant fraction of the speed of light, one cannot simply add and subtract velocities as in classical mechanics. Instead, the relativistic velocity addition formula must be used:

β = (u+v)/(1+(uv/c²))

Where β is the relative velocity, and u and v are the velocities of the two objects as measured in a given reference frame.

To answer such questions correctly, replace u and v with the given speeds and solve for β. It's important to account for the direction of motion to determine whether to add or subtract the velocities in the formula.