How Fast Did My Friend Travel to Alpha Centauri and Back?

  • Thread starter ADCooper
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In summary, a friend travels to the star Alpha Centauri, which is 4 light-years away, and returns immediately claiming the entire trip took just 6 years. To solve for the speed, the formula \vec{u} = \frac{2L_0}{\Delta t_0} can be used, where L_0 is the proper length and \Delta t_0 is the proper time. The speed is approximately 1.4c, which seems impossible, but it can be explained by time dilation and length contraction. The person on Earth would have aged more than the person who traveled due to time dilation.
  • #1
ADCooper
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Homework Statement



A friend of yours who is the same age as you travels to the star Alpha Centauri, which is 4 light· year away, and returns immediately. He claims that the entire trip took just 6 years. How fast did he travel? How much older are you than him when he returns?

Homework Equations



[itex]\Delta t[/itex] = [itex]\frac{\Delta t_0}{\sqrt{1-\frac{u^2}{c^2}}}[/itex]

[itex]L = L_0 \sqrt{1-\frac{u^2}{c^2}}[/itex]

Speed = Distance/Time
[itex] \vec{u} = \frac{2L_0}{\Delta t_0}[/itex]

I'm not really sure if [itex]\vec{u}[/itex] is equal to that or the contracted length/dilated time...

The Attempt at a Solution



My original attempt to solve this involved simply dividing the time for the round trip in terms of meters (8 light years ~ [itex]8*10^{16}[/itex] meters, and the time was 6 years, which I converted to seconds).

This game me an answer of approximately 1.4c, which seems to be clearly impossible. I'm assuming I'm missing something about time dilation and length contraction, but I can't seem to figure out how to use either of these without knowing what either the speed is or the dilated time/contracted length. If I can find the speed, it seems relatively straight forward from there, just use time dilation and subtract the dilated time from the proper time to see how much the person on Earth had aged.
 
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  • #2
Nevermind, figured it out! Would delete if it was possible
 

Related to How Fast Did My Friend Travel to Alpha Centauri and Back?

1. What is the "Twin Paradox-esque Problem"?

The "Twin Paradox-esque Problem" is a thought experiment in the theory of relativity that explores the concept of time dilation for twins who are separated and then reunited.

2. How does the "Twin Paradox-esque Problem" work?

In this thought experiment, one twin stays on Earth while the other travels near the speed of light to a distant planet and then returns. Due to the high speed, the traveling twin experiences time dilation, meaning they age slower than the twin on Earth. When the traveling twin returns, they will be younger than their twin, creating a paradox.

3. Is the "Twin Paradox-esque Problem" a real paradox?

No, the "Twin Paradox-esque Problem" is not a real paradox. It can be explained by the principles of relativity, specifically the fact that time is relative and can be affected by factors such as speed and gravitational forces.

4. Can the "Twin Paradox-esque Problem" be tested in real life?

While the "Twin Paradox-esque Problem" is a thought experiment, similar experiments have been conducted in real life using atomic clocks. These experiments have confirmed the principles of time dilation predicted by the theory of relativity.

5. What are the implications of the "Twin Paradox-esque Problem"?

The "Twin Paradox-esque Problem" highlights the fascinating and counterintuitive aspects of the theory of relativity. It also has practical implications for space travel and the need to account for time dilation when traveling at high speeds.

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