Relativity Question: What is the Relative Velocity and Time Elapsed?

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The discussion centers on calculating the relative velocity and time elapsed for two spaceships passing each other. The relative velocity, as observed from spaceship A, is determined to be 2 x 10^7 m/s, based on the time it takes for spaceship B to traverse 100 m. For part b, while the initial assumption was that both observers measure the same time, the concept of length contraction indicates that this is incorrect. The observer on spaceship B would measure a different time due to the relativistic effects of A's motion. The conclusion highlights the importance of considering length contraction in relativistic scenarios.
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Problem
Two spaceships, each measuring 100 m in its own rest frame, pass by each other traveling
in opposite directions. Instruments on board spaceship A determine that the front of spaceship B requires 5x10^-6 sec to traverse the full length of A.

(a) What is the relative velocity v of the two spaceships?
(b) How much time elapses on a clock on spaceship B as it traverses the full length of A?

Answers
a) Well, the observer in A, in his frame, sees that B takes 5e-6 sec to go 100 m, so this means that the relative velocity, v, of the two spaceships is \boxed{100/(5 \cdot 10^{-6}) = 2\cdot 10^7 \text{m/s}}.

Homework Statement



b) We know that observer B will still observe the same relative velocity as A, by symmetry. Now, from B's reference frame, A travels at 2\cdot 10^6 \text{m/s} through 100 \text{m}, so B also measures time 5 \cdot 10^{-6} \text{sec}.

Is my work above correct? Part b) seems wrong, because both measure the same time... doesn't this usually not happen?
 
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Ah, I think I see my mistake in part b)... there is a length contraction that B sees when A moves past, so the time isn't the same. Is this correct?
 
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