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

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the relative velocity and time elapsed between two spaceships traveling in opposite directions. The relative velocity, calculated from the perspective of spaceship A, is determined to be 2 x 107 m/s based on the time taken for spaceship B to traverse 100 m. For part b, while both observers measure the same time of 5 x 10-6 seconds, the concept of length contraction indicates that this is not the complete picture, as observer B perceives a contracted length of spaceship A. Thus, the time elapsed on spaceship B's clock is affected by this relativistic effect.

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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 [tex]\boxed{100/(5 \cdot 10^{-6}) = 2\cdot 10^7 \text{m/s}}[/tex].

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 [tex]2\cdot 10^6 \text{m/s}[/tex] through [tex]100 \text{m}[/tex], so B also measures time [tex]5 \cdot 10^{-6} \text{sec}[/tex].

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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