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Module 7: The Nature of Light

Quick questions on Special relativity: postulates, time dilation and length contraction, HSC Physics Module 7

5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.

What is einstein's two postulates (1905)?
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Special relativity rests on just two postulates:
What is length contraction?
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An object moving at speed vv along its length is measured to be shorter than its proper length L0L_0 (the length in its rest frame) by:
What is q1?
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State Einstein's two postulates of special relativity. [2 marks]
What is q2?
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A spaceship passes Earth at v=0.80cv = 0.80c. (a) Find γ\gamma. (b) A ground clock measures 1.0 s1.0 \text{ s}.
What is q3?
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A muon traveling at v=0.995cv = 0.995c has a proper lifetime of τ0=2.2μs\tau_0 = 2.2 \mu\text{s}. (a) Calculate its lifetime in the lab frame. (b) Calculate the distance it can travel before decaying (lab frame).

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