- #1
LCSphysicist
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- Homework Statement
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- Relevant Equations
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I made an exercise whose question is like that:
A spacecraft moves with speed v at the axis x. There are two target at the axis x, in which the distance between them is L at the ground frame. Suppose that the spacecraft shoot the target simultaneously when it passes by the target. A|so, neglect the time between the spacecraft shoot and the hit of the target. Is there a frame in which both targets are hitted simultaneously? If yes, what is the velocity of the frame?
Now, i have found an answer that i am 99% sure is wrong, but just want to make sure and, also, would like to know the speed of this frame for both hits simultaneously:
I have decided to name two events:
Event A: Spacecraft passes the first target/hit the first target.
Event B: Spacecraft passes the second target/hit the second target.
Using lorentz transformation, $$\Delta t' = \gamma ' (\Delta t - \beta' \Delta x) = \gamma ' (\Delta t - \beta' v \Delta t) = 0$$
$$\implies$$
$$1 - v'v = 0, v<1 \implies v'>1$$
So there are no frame in which the target are hitted simultaneously.
I am aware of the lost of simultaneously, so i am sure i am wrong because probably in the frame S' the missle is not fired and wouldn't hit the target at the same time the spacecraft passes the target.
But the problem i am having is to understand how could i find the velocity of S' without i know the missle speed? Someone can help me?
A spacecraft moves with speed v at the axis x. There are two target at the axis x, in which the distance between them is L at the ground frame. Suppose that the spacecraft shoot the target simultaneously when it passes by the target. A|so, neglect the time between the spacecraft shoot and the hit of the target. Is there a frame in which both targets are hitted simultaneously? If yes, what is the velocity of the frame?
Now, i have found an answer that i am 99% sure is wrong, but just want to make sure and, also, would like to know the speed of this frame for both hits simultaneously:
I have decided to name two events:
Event A: Spacecraft passes the first target/hit the first target.
Event B: Spacecraft passes the second target/hit the second target.
Using lorentz transformation, $$\Delta t' = \gamma ' (\Delta t - \beta' \Delta x) = \gamma ' (\Delta t - \beta' v \Delta t) = 0$$
$$\implies$$
$$1 - v'v = 0, v<1 \implies v'>1$$
So there are no frame in which the target are hitted simultaneously.
I am aware of the lost of simultaneously, so i am sure i am wrong because probably in the frame S' the missle is not fired and wouldn't hit the target at the same time the spacecraft passes the target.
But the problem i am having is to understand how could i find the velocity of S' without i know the missle speed? Someone can help me?