- #1
nopenopedynope
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- Homework Statement
- Samir (who is standing on the ground) starts his stopwatch at the instant that Maria flies past him in her spaceship at a speed of 0.600c. At the same instant, Maria starts her stopwatch. As measured in Samir's frame of reference, what is the reading on Maria's stopwatch at the instant that Samir's stopwatch reads 10.0s?
- Relevant Equations
- delta t = delta t0/sqrt(1-(v/c)^2)
Since for the two events of Samir starting the stopwatch, and the stopwatch reaching 10.0s, Samir and his stopwatch are stationary from his own frame of reference, I said it was the proper time and that delta t0 = 10s. Then the speed of the moving frame of reference was 0.6c. I thought placing this in the given time dilation equation should give the time on Maria's stopwatch, as I thought it would be the time passed from Maria's frame of reference, but it gives delta t = 12.5 seconds. This does not match the idea that a clock observed to be moving at relativistic speeds should tick slower.
I feel as though I am missing something simple, but I can't comprehend why the clock would tick slower when delta t is always larger than or equal to delta t0 according to this equation. Any help would be much appreciated.
I feel as though I am missing something simple, but I can't comprehend why the clock would tick slower when delta t is always larger than or equal to delta t0 according to this equation. Any help would be much appreciated.