Ii cant seem to figure this out

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a meter stick traveling at the speed of light relative to an observer, questioning how long the meter stick would appear to that observer. The subject area pertains to concepts in relativity and the behavior of objects at light speed.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the implications of the speed of light on the perceived length of the meter stick, with one questioning whether the speed of light affects the length measurement directly. Others suggest that the problem may not yield a reasonable answer and hint at deeper implications of the scenario.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring the nuances of the problem and questioning the assumptions made in the original post. Some guidance has been offered regarding the nature of the question, but no consensus has been reached.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of past discussions that may influence the current understanding, and participants are encouraged to provide their reasoning while adhering to forum guidelines. The original poster's use of "IF" suggests a hypothetical scenario that may require careful interpretation.

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Homework Statement


IF a meter stick travels at the speed of light relative to an observer, how long does the meter stick appear to the observer? show you calculations.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
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Please show an attempt as per PF guidelines.

Jared
 
if speed of light is 299 792 458 m / s would the meter stick also seem this long?
 
I think this is an important point from a past thread:
DaveC426913 said:
Trick question. You should not *get* a reasonable answer. Why?

I've deliberately removed the post reference as I can't give you the full answer, but if you give it a shot I can help.

Note: Credit goes to DaveC and Co from the other thread for this answer.

Are you required to give a numerical answer? I see that "IF" is in capitals in the OP and so I'd assume they want a bit more than a blunt statement.

Jared
 

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