Homework 1 Solutions

PHYS 2620
September 5, 2016

Krane Problem 1.13

(a) Direct application of conservation of momentum and energy

Define v1 as the velocity of the helium atom moving in the +x direction, and v2 as the
velocity of the other helium atom. Conservation of momentum gives the following equation:
mv = m1 v1 + m2 v2
and since the mass of Beryllium is twice the mass of Helium, we get
2mHe v = mHe v1 + mHe v2
2v = v1 + v2
The Beryllium atom starts with 40 keV and as with Problem 4, releases 92.2 keV in its
decay. From this information we get
s
r
2K
2(40.0 103 eV)(1.602 1019 J/eV)
=
= 9.822 105 m/s
v=
m
(8.00 u)(1.6605 1027 kg/u)
1
1
K + Kreleased = 40.0 keV + 92.2 keV = m1 v12 + m2 v22
2
2
1
1
2
2
132.2 keV = m1 v1 + m2 (2v v1 )
2
2
We can now rearrange and use the quadratic formula to get v1 and v2 .
2
132.2 keV = v12 + 4v 2 4vv1 + v12
mHe
2

132.2 keV = 2v12 4vv1 + 4v 2

mHe
2
2v12 4vv1 + (4v 2
132.2 keV) = 0
mHe
v1 = 2.47 106 m/s or v1 = 0.508 106 m/s
Since we chose m1 as going in the +x direction well take the positive value for v1 and get
v1 = 2.47 106 m/s, v2 = 0.508 106 m/s
1

(b) Switching reference frames

Suppose we switched reference frames so that we were moving in the +x direction at the
speed v = 9.822 105 m/s found in part (a). This simplifies the conservation of momentum
equation since the initial momentum is zero in this frame of reference. The two helium
atoms must therefore have the same speed in opposite directions to conserve momentum,
and because of this, they will share the released energy equally. This means each helium
atom will have
p a kinetic energy6 of (92.2 keV)/2 = 46.1 keV and a speed of
0
0
v1 = v2 = 2K/m = 1.49 10 m/s. In order to get v1 and v2 in the original reference
frame, we just need to add or subtract this speed from the velocity v = 9.822 105 m/s.
v1 = v + 1.49 106 m/s = 2.47 106 m/s
v2 = v 1.49 106 m/s = 0.508 106 m/s

Krane Problem 2.5

We were asked to find the speed an object must move before its length appears to be
contracted to half its proper length. For this we can use the length contraction formula
(2.13) and set L = 21 L0 to get

p
1
L0 = L0 1 u2 /c2
2
1 p
= 1 u2 /c2
2
1
= 1 u2 /c2
4
3 2
c = u2
4
p
u = 3/4c = 2.6 108 m/s

Krane Problem 2.8

In the lab reference frame, the lifetime is

t =

d
1.25 mm
=
= 0.418 1011 s
u
0.995c

Transforming this into the particles frame of reference gives us

p

t0 = t 1 u2 /c2 = t 1 0.9952 = 4.17 1013 s

Krane Problem 2.10

(a) Velocity of A observed from B

From an observer on Earth, ship A appears to have a speed of 0.753c and ship B appears
to have a speed of 0.851c. If the observer is on B, the velocity of the original observer,
Earth, is u = 0.851c and the observed velocity is v 0 = 0.753c. Using the relativistic velocity
addition formula gives
v=

0.851c + 0.753c
v0 + u
= 0.978c
=
1 + v 0 u/c2
1 + (0.851)(0.753)

(b) Velocity of B observed from A

Now the roles are reversed. The velocity of the Earth, relative to ship A, is u = 0.753c
and the observed velocity from Earth is v 0 = 0.851c. This gives us
v0 + u
0.851c 0.753c
=
v=
= -0.978c
0
2
1 + v u/c
1 + (0.851)(0.753)

Krane Problem 2.12

(a) How fast must the galaxy be moving?

This is a relativistic Doppler effect problem. We take the Doppler equation (2.22) and
= c/f to get
s
1 u/c
f0 = f
1 + u/c
s
1 + u/c
0 =
1 u/c
s
1 + u/c
0 = 366 nm = 122 nm
1 u/c
s
1 + u/c
3=
1 u/c
1 + u/c
1 u/c
9 9u/c = 1 + u/c
10u/c = 8

9=

u = 0.8c = 2.4 108 m/s

The galaxy is moving away from us at u = 2.4 108 m/s. In a chapter 15.1, we will see
that the receding speed of galaxies is proportional to the distance of the galaxy from us,
indicating that the universe is expanding.

(b) What would be the emission line if the velocity were reversed?
In this case, we use the approaching relativistic Doppler equation. Substituting in again
gives us
s
r
1

u/c
1 0.8
= 122 nm
= 40.7 nm
0 =
1 + u/c
1 + 0.8

Krane Problem 2.15

Observer O measures vx = 0 and vy = c. Observer O measures

vx u
= 0 u = u
1 uvx /c2
p
p
vy 1 u2 /c2
0
vy =
=
c
1 u2 /c2
1 uvx /c2
vx0 =

We can verify this by checking the speed of the light beam according to O.
q
p
v 0 = vx02 + vy02 = u2 + c2 (1 u2 + c2 ) = c

Krane Problem 2.19

(a) Time separation according to O

Observer O records the time interval as t = 0.465 s and the space interval as x = 53.4
m, and O moves relative to O at a speed of 0.762c in the +x direction.
To solve this, we need to use the Lorentz Transformation, specifically for time.
t ux/c2
0.465 s (0.762c)(53.4 m)/c2

t0 = p
=
= 0.508 s
1 0.7622
1 u2 /c2

(b) Spatial separation according to O

We can solve this in a similar way using the Lorentz Transformation for the x coordinates.
x ut
53.4 m (0.762c)(0.465 s)

x0 = p
=
= 81.5 m
1 0.7622
1 u2 /c2

Hafele-Keating Experiment

(a) Clock flying eastward

The clock that stays on the ground is moving at the speed of the Earths rotation, which is
equal to
v0 =

2 6370 km
2RE
=
= 463.24 m/s
1 day
24 3600 s

The clock flying eastward has a velocity of

vE = v0 + 1000 km/h = 463.24 + 277.78 m/s = 741.02 m/s
The Lorentz factors for these two clocks are given by
1
1
1 2 2
12
0 = p

1 2 2 1 + v0 /c = 1 + 1.192 10
2 2
2
1 2 v0 /c
1 v0 /c
1 2 2
1

...

1
+
vE /c = 1 + 3.05 1012
E = p
2
2
2
1 vE /c
The approximations used in these calculations were obtained by using the first two terms
in the Binomial Expansion as shown below, first with k = 1/2 and then with k = 1. You
could arrive at the result immediately by choosing k = 1/2. We are able to use these
Taylor Expansions because the quantity v02 /c2 is very small.
(1 + x)k 1 + kx + ...
The nominal time for the flight to travel one turn is given by
t=

2RE
2 6370 km
=
= 40.02 h = 1.441 105 s
1000 km/h
1000 km/h

Because the plane moving eastward is moving faster than the clock on the ground, we
expect it to run slower and record less time during the trip. In order to figure out how
much less time, we need to take into account both the time dilation due to the motion of
the Earth as well as the motion of the plane. This means that compared to the clock on
the ground, it should gain
tE
tE

vs. ground

vs. ground

t
t
1
1
+
= 1.441 105 s(
+
)
12
E 0
1 + 3.05 10
1 + 1.192 1012

1.441105 s(11.1921012 1+3.051012 ) = 1.441105 1.861012

tE

vs. ground

= 2.68 107 s = 268 ns

So the clock on the ground will record a later time by 268 ns.

(b) Clock flying westward

Using the velocity of the Earths surface from above, we can calculate the velocity and
Lorentz factor of the westward plane as follows
vW = v0 1000 km/h = 463.24 277.78 m/s = 185.46 m/s
W = p

1
2
1 vW
/c2

1
1

1 2
v /c2
2 W

1 2 2
/c = 1 + 0.191 1012
1 + vW
2

The plane moving westward is moving slower than the clock on the ground, and is
therefore expected to run faster and record more time during the trip. We can use the
same approach as in part (a) to find out how much time it loses compared to the clock on
the ground. Note that the 0 and t here are the same as those calculated in part (a).
tW
tW

vs. ground

= 1.441 105 s(

vs. ground

1
1

)
1 + 0.191 1012 1 + 1.192 1012

1.441 105 s (1.192 0.191) 1012 144.1 ns

So the westbound clock will record a later time than the clock on the ground by 144.1 ns.
Note that the published predictions for special relativity only were a gain of -184 ns for the
eastbound plane and +96 ns for the westbound plane. We did not get the exact same
results; however, we also used a different jet liners flying speed (and the actual test may
not have been along the equator) so we would not expect to get the same results anyway.