Relativity problem -- A person walking in a train that is traveling at 3c/5

In summary, the person's speed with respect to the ground is equal to the length of the tunnel divided by the time it takes for them to travel from one end to the other. The time on the person's watch will elapse according to the time dilation formula, which takes into account the person's speed and the length of the tunnel.
  • #1
LCSphysicist
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Homework Statement
A train of proper length L and speed 3c/5 approaches a tunnel of
length L. At the moment the front of the train enters the tunnel, a person
leaves the front of the train and walks (briskly) toward the back.
She arrives at the back of the train right when it (the back) leaves the
tunnel.
Relevant Equations
.
"(a) How much time does this take in the ground frame?
(b) What is the person’s speed with respect to the ground?
(c) How much time elapses on the person’s watch?"

I solved it, but i am with a doubt yet wrt to the letter b. We can find that the train length in the ground frame is 4L/5, so, why is not the person's speed equal to (4L/5)/T? The right is, actually, L/T.
 
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  • #2
You haven't specified what ##T## is, so it's a bit difficult to know. I guess that it's the time in the ground frame that it takes the person to walk from one end of the train to the other?

In the train frame, the person started at the front of the train and finished at the end of the train. In the ground frame, where did she start (relative to some point at rest in this frame) and where did she finish (again, relative to some point at rest in this frame)? How far did she travel, then, and how long did it take?
 
  • #3
During her running she stays in the tunnel. In the ground frame she moves from one to another ends of the tunnel with constant speed of tunnel length L/T where T is the answer of (a) which should be
[tex]\frac{\frac{4}{5}L+L}{\frac{3}{5}c}[/tex]
via your contraction calculation.
 
Last edited:

1. What is the concept of relativity?

The concept of relativity is a fundamental principle in physics that states that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion. This means that the laws of physics do not change based on an observer's frame of reference.

2. How does relativity apply to a person walking in a train that is traveling at 3c/5?

In this scenario, the person walking in the train is considered an observer. According to the principle of relativity, the laws of physics will appear the same to the person walking in the train as they would to someone standing still outside the train. This means that the person walking will not experience any difference in their surroundings, despite the high speed of the train.

3. What is the significance of the train traveling at 3c/5?

The speed of light, denoted by "c", is considered to be the maximum speed in the universe. The train traveling at 3c/5 is a hypothetical scenario used to demonstrate the effects of relativity at extremely high speeds. In reality, it is impossible for any object to travel at or above the speed of light.

4. How does time dilation play a role in this scenario?

Time dilation is a phenomenon predicted by the theory of relativity, where time appears to pass slower for objects moving at high speeds. In the scenario of a person walking in a train traveling at 3c/5, the person will experience time at a slower rate compared to someone standing still outside the train.

5. Is the concept of relativity only applicable to high speeds?

No, the concept of relativity applies to all speeds, but its effects become more noticeable at high speeds. At everyday speeds, the differences predicted by relativity are extremely small and not easily observable. However, at speeds close to the speed of light, these effects become significant and can be observed and measured.

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