Forming Proper Equation to Calculate Speed of Spaceship

  • Thread starter Thread starter ND3G
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Length
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
Sign up Log in
2 replies · 2K views
ND3G
Messages
79
Reaction score
0
"proper" Length

What speed would the spaceship have to travel for its relative length to be half its “proper” length

Given:
Lo = 67m
L = 33.5

Required:
v

Analysis:
L = (Lo)(sqr(1-(v^2)/(c^2)))

Now, I calculate v = sqr((1-(L/Lo)^2)(c^2)) however that gives me an non-real anwer. Clearly my algebra is lacking somewhere.

Can anyone help me form a proper equation for this?
 
Physics news on Phys.org

Discussion

Your algebra looks fine. Your arithmetic seems to be lacking. L/Lo=1/2, 1-(1/2)^2=3/4 etc etc.
 
Ah, yes, I was dividing Lo/L on paper. It is always the simplest things...

Thanks