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Oijl
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Homework Statement
Nevermind, got it.
Two spaceships approach the Earth from opposite directions. According to an observer on the Earth, ship A is moving at a speed of 0.753c and ship B at a speed of 0.851c. What is the speed of ship A as observed from ship B? Of ship B as observed from ship A?
Homework Equations
v = (v' + u) / (1+ (v'u)/(c^2))
and so
v' = (u - v) / ((vu)/(c^2) - 1)
The Attempt at a Solution
u is the speed of A as observed from Earth.
v is the speed of B as observed from Earth.
v', then, would be the speed of A or B as observed from the other ship.
The values 0.753c and 0.851c plugged in, I get 0.2728c = v'.
The speed of one ship as observed by the other ship should be greater than either of the ship's speeds as observed on earth. So where am I incorrect?
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