NUMERICAL

FORMULAS
1 ∆𝐭𝐨 v2 𝑚𝑜
γ= ∆𝐭 = L = Lo√1 − 𝑚=
2 𝟐 c2 2
√1 − v2 √𝟏 − 𝐯𝟐 √1 − 𝑣2
c 𝐜 𝑐

𝐸𝑜 = 𝑚𝑜 𝑐 2 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑐 2 E = Eo + K

Worked Example 24.1

The period of a pendulum is measured to be 3.00 s in the inertial frame of the pendulum. What is the
period as measured by an observer moving at a speed of 0.950c with respect to the pendulum?
Data
Given
Rest Time = to = 3.00 s
Relative Velocity = v = 0.95 c
Required
Relative time = t = ?
Solution
𝑡𝑜 3.0
𝑡= =
2 2
√1 − 𝑣2 √1 − (0.95c)
𝑐 c2
3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
𝑡= = = = = 9.61 𝑠
0.9025𝑐 2 √1 − 0.9025 √0.0975 0.3122
√1 −
c2
Worked Example 24.2
A starship is measured to be 125 m long while it is at rest with respect to an observer. If this starship
now flies past the observer at a speed of 0.99c, what length will the observer measure for the starship?
Data
Given
Rest Length = Lo = 125 m
Relative Velocity = v = 0.6 c
Required
Relative Length = L = ?
Solution
Working Formula

𝑣2 (0.99𝑐)2 0.9801𝑐 2
𝐿 = 𝐿𝑜√1 − = 125 × √1 − = 125 × √1 − = 17.6 𝑚
𝑐2 𝑐2 𝑐2
Worked Example 24.3
At what speed will an object's relativistic mass be twice its rest mass?
Rest mass = mo
Relative mass = m = 2mo
Velocity of light = c = 3 x 108 m/s

Required
Relative Velocity = v = ?
Solution
mo
m=
2
√1 − v2
c
mo
2mo =
2
√1 − v 2
c

v2 1
√1 − =
c 2 2
v2 1
1− 2
=
c 4
1 v2
1− = 2
4 c
2
3 v
= 2
4 c
√3 v
=
2 c
√3
𝑐 =𝑣
2

Exercise
1. A rod 1 meter long is moving along its length with a velocity 0.6c. Calculate its length as it appears
to an observer (a) on the earth (b) moving with the rod itself. [Ans: (a) 0.8m, (b) 1m]
Data
Given
Rest Length = Lo = 1 m
Relative Velocity = v = 0.6 c
Required
Relative Length = L = ?
Solution
Working Formula

𝑣2 (0.6𝑐)2 0.36𝑐 2
𝐿 = 𝐿𝑜√1 − = 1 x √1 − = √1 − = 0.8 𝑚
𝑐2 𝑐2 𝑐2
(b) When moving with itself the relative velocity becomes 0 and hence the length will not change
2. How fast would a rocket have to go relative to an observer for its length to be contracted to 99% of
its length at rest? [Ans: 42. 45 x 106 m/s]
Data
Given
Rest Length = Lo = 1 m
Relative Length = L = 99% Lo = 0.99 Lo
Required
Relative Velocity = v = ?
Solution

𝑣2
𝐿 = 𝐿𝑜 √1 −
𝑐2

𝑣2
0.99𝐿𝑜 = 𝐿𝑜 √1 −
𝑐2

𝑣2
0.99 = √1 −
𝑐2
𝑣2
0.9801 = 1 − 2
𝑐
2
𝑣
= 1 − 0.9801
𝑐2
Taking Root
𝑣
= 0.141
𝑐
v = 3 x108 × 0.141 = 42.3 x106 𝑚/𝑠
3. A particle with a proper lifetime of 1μs moves through the laboratory at 2.7 x 108 m/s.
(a) What is its lifetime, as measured by observers in the laboratory? (b) What will be the distance
traversed by it before disintegrating? [Ans: (a) 2. 3 x 10-6s, (b) 620m]
Data
Given
Rest Time = to = l μs = 1 x 10-6s
Relative Velocity = v = 2.7 x 108 m/s
Velocity of light = c = 3 x 108 m/s

Required
Relative time = t = ?
Solution
𝑡𝑜 1 × 10−6
𝑡= = = 2.3 × 10−6 𝑠
2
√1 − 𝑣2 (2.7 × 108 )2
𝑐 √1 −
(3 × 108 )2

Distance
𝑆 = 𝑣𝑡 = 2.7 × 108 × 2.3 × 10−6 = 620 𝑚
4. At what speed is a particle moving if the mass is equal to three times its rest mass?
Data
Given
Rest mass = mo
Relative mass = m = 3mo
Velocity of light = c = 3 x 108 m/s

Required
Relative Velocity = v = ?
Solution
mo
m=
2
√1 − v2
c
mo
3mo =
2
√1 − v 2
c

v2 1
√1 − =
c2 3
v2 1
1− 2 =
c 9
1 v2
1− = 2
9 c
8 v2
= 2
9 c
2√2 v
=
3 c
2√2
𝑐 =𝑣
3
5. If 4 kg of a substance is fully converted into energy, how much energy is produced? [3.6 X 1017J]
Data
Given
Rest mass = mo = 4 Kg
Velocity of light = c = 3 x 108 m/s
Required
Energy = Eo = ?
Solution
Eo = 𝑚𝑜 𝑐 2 = 4 × (3 x 108 )2 = 3.6 x 1017 J

6. Calculate the rest energy of an electron in joules and in electron volts. [8. 2 X 10-14 J, 0.511MeV]
Data
Given
Rest mass = mo = 9.1 x 10-31 Kg
Velocity of light = c = 3 x 108 m/s
Required
Energy = Eo = ?
Solution
Eo = 𝑚𝑜 𝑐 2 = 9.1 × 10−31 × (3 × 108 )2 = 8.2 × 10−14 J
8.2 × 10−14
Eo = = 0.511 × 106 eV = 0.511 MeV
1.6 × 10−19
7. Calculate the K.E. of an electron moving with a velocity of 0.98 times the velocity of light in the
laboratory system. [Ans: 3. 3 x 10-13 J]
Data
Given
Rest mass = mo = 9.1 x 10-31 Kg7
Relative Velocity = v = 0.98 c
Required
Kinetic Energy = K = ?

Solution
K = E − Eo = m c 2 − mo c 2

mo 1
K= c 2 − mo c 2 = mo c 2 −1
2 2
√1 − v2 √1 − v2
( c ) ( c )

1
𝐾 = 9.1 × 10−31 × (3 × 108 )2 −1 = 3.3 × 10−13 𝐽
√ (0.98𝑐)2
( 1− 𝑐2 )
√𝟑
8. At what velocity does the K.E. of a particle equal its rest energy? Ans: 𝒄
𝟐
Data
Given
Rest mass = mo
Kinetic Energy = K = mo c2
Required
Relative Velocity = v = ?
Solution
𝐾 = 𝐸 − 𝐸𝑜
𝐾 + Eo = 𝐸
𝐸𝑜 + 𝐸𝑜 = 𝐸
2 Eo = 𝐸
2 mo c 2 = 𝑚c 2
𝟐 𝒎𝒐 = 𝒎
mo
m=
2
√1 − v2
c
mo
2mo =
2
√1 − v 2
c
 v2 1
√1 − =
c2 2
v2 1
1− 2 =
c 4
1 v2
1− = 2
4 c
3 v2
= 2
4 c
√3 v
=
2 c
√3
𝑐 =𝑣
2
𝒄
9. A particle of rest mass mo moves with speed . Calculate its mass, momentum, total energy and
√𝟐
kinetic energy.
Data
Given
Rest mas = mo
𝒄
Relative Velocity = v =
√𝟐
Required
Relative mass = m = ?
Momentum = p = ?
Total energy = E = ?
Kinetic energy = K = ?

Solution
Relative mass
𝑚𝑜
𝑚=
2
√1 − 𝑣2
𝑐
𝑚𝑜 𝑚𝑜
𝑚= =
𝒄 2 c2
( ) √
√ √𝟐 1 − 22
1− c
c2
𝑚𝑜 𝑚𝑜 𝑚𝑜
m= = = √ 2 𝑚𝑜
1
√1 − 1 √ 1
2 2 √2

Momentum
𝒄
𝑝 = 𝑚𝑣 = (√𝟐 𝑚𝑜 ) ( ) = 𝑚𝑜 𝑐
√𝟐
Total Energy
𝐸 = 𝑚c 2 = (√𝟐 𝑚𝑜 )𝑐 = √𝟐 mo c 2
10. The nearest star to Earth is Proximal Centauri, 4.3 light- years away. A spaceship with a constant
speed of 0.800c relative to the Earth travels toward the star.
(a) How much time would elapse on a clock as measured by travelers on the spacecraft? [3.22 years]
(b) How long does the trip take according to Earth observers? [Ans: (b) 5.38 years]
Data
Given
Distance = S = 4.3 light- years = 4.3 c years
Relative Velocity = v = 0.800c
Required
Time on the spacecraft = t = ?
Time on the Earth = to = ?
Solution
Time on the spacecraft
𝑆 4.3 𝑐
𝑡= = = 5.375
𝑣 0.08 𝑐
𝑡 = 5.38 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠
Time on the Earth
𝑡𝑜
𝑡=
2
√1 − 𝑣2
𝑐

𝑣2
𝑡 × √1 − = 𝑡𝑜
𝑐2

(0.8𝑐 )2 0.64 𝑐 2
𝑡𝑜 = 𝑡 × √1 − = 5.38 × √1 −
𝑐2 𝑐2

𝑡𝑜 = 5.38× √1 − 0.64 = 3.22 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠