Pion Decay and Relativity Question

AI Thread Summary
To determine the speed of a charged pion that decays after traveling 30 meters in the laboratory frame, the time dilation effect must be considered. The pion's proper decay time is 10^-8 seconds, which dilates when observed in the lab frame, resulting in a longer observed decay time. The user initially misapplied the time dilation formula, leading to an incorrect speed calculation exceeding the speed of light. The correct approach involves using the time dilation formula to find the dilated time and then calculating the speed as distance divided by this dilated time. The correct answer is option D, 2.98 × 10^8 m/s, highlighting the importance of accurately applying relativistic principles.
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Homework Statement


42. If a charged pion that decays in 10−8 second in its own rest frame is to travel 30
m in the laboratory before decaying, the pion’s speed must be most nearly
(A) 0.43 × 108 m/s
(B) 2.84 × 108 m/s
(C) 2.90 × 108 m/s
(D) 2.98 × 108 m/s
(E) 3.00 × 108 m/s


Homework Equations


Time dilation and length contraction formula? They are not given though..


The Attempt at a Solution



I tried to use the time dilation formula and I think that for the observer (me), the time I think the pion is experiencing should be 8.6*10^-8s and when i use this to find the speed, which is 30/t, where t is the dilated time, i get a speed more than the speed of light which is false! I am stuck at this lol. Have I used any wrong formula to calculate the speed? (That is, for relativistic speeds, I shouldn't use 30/t?) If so, which equation should I use? Thanks! I hope you can help me with this question as I would be attending a local junior olympiad soon, I am in year 10 now.
 
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By the way, the answer is D but I don't know why. Please enlighten me! Thanks.
 
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