Concept Items
10.1 Postulates of Special Relativity
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The longitudinal nature of light waves implies this.
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Light shows the phenomenon of diffraction.
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The speed of light is the maximum possible speed.
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All other wave energy needs a medium to travel.
Describe the relative motion of Earth and the sun:
- if Earth is taken as the inertial frame of reference and
- if the sun is taken as the inertial frame of reference.
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- Earth is at rest and the sun orbits Earth.
- The sun is at rest and Earth orbits the sun.
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- The sun is at rest and Earth orbits the sun.
- Earth is at rest and the sun orbits Earth.
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- The sun is at rest and Earth orbits the sun.
- The sun is at rest and Earth orbits the sun.
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- Earth is at rest and the sun orbits Earth.
- Earth is at rest and the sun orbits Earth.
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10.2 Consequences of Special Relativity
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The particle’s momentum will rapidly decrease.
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The particle’s momentum will rapidly increase.
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The particle’s momentum will remain constant.
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The particle’s momentum will approach zero.
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Both of them will be the same age.
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This is a paradox and hence the ages cannot be compared.
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The age of the twin who traveled will be less than the age of her twin who remained behind.
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The age of the twin who traveled will be greater than the age of her twin who remained behind.
A comet reaches its greatest speed as it travels near the sun. True or false— Relativistic effects make the comet’s tail look longer to an observer on Earth.
- True
- False