- #1
xcom2112
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I saw this question on special relativity on the internet:
"A spaceship traveling to Alpha Centauri, at 0.95C it takes 4.5 years to get there as measured on Earth.how long does it seems to the spaceship passengers?"
the answer was 1.4 years (Lorentz factor of 3.2).
this answer makes no sense to me.
if the spaceship passengers will measure on their clocks 1.4 years, they will know they are moving,
and this is a contradiction to the basic assumption of inertial systems ( as I understand it...)
I would expect them both to measure 4.5 years in their clocks.
(but the 4.5 years are not the same for them (the units are not the same) due to relativity)
Can anyone please help me to understand where and if I'm getting something wrong?
Thank you,
Mike
"A spaceship traveling to Alpha Centauri, at 0.95C it takes 4.5 years to get there as measured on Earth.how long does it seems to the spaceship passengers?"
the answer was 1.4 years (Lorentz factor of 3.2).
this answer makes no sense to me.
if the spaceship passengers will measure on their clocks 1.4 years, they will know they are moving,
and this is a contradiction to the basic assumption of inertial systems ( as I understand it...)
I would expect them both to measure 4.5 years in their clocks.
(but the 4.5 years are not the same for them (the units are not the same) due to relativity)
Can anyone please help me to understand where and if I'm getting something wrong?
Thank you,
Mike