Physics 24

Winter 2015
Set #3 - for Fri January 23

Read K&K

Ch. 12 Sects. 12.5,12.6, Ch. 13, Ch. 14

From K&K:
Ch. 13

Problems 13.2, 13.4, 13.7.

1. Show that:
(a) If two events in spacetime are separated by a timelike interval, then it is possible to
find a Lorentz transformation such that the two events happen at the same space point
but are not simultaneous.
(b) If two events are separated by a spacelike interval, then there exists a Lorentz transformation whereby the two events are simultaneous but happen at two dierent space points.

2. A spaceship is moving with velocity v relative to the laboratory in the xdirection.

(a) Consider a meter stick at rest in the laboratory frame. Draw a spacetime diagram
(similar to what we did in Lecture) to illustrate the length contraction of this meter stick
when observed in the spaceship frame.
(b) Consider a clock belonging to the reference frame of the laboratory. Draw a spacetime diagram to illustrate the time dilation suered by this clock when observed from the
spaceship frame.

3. One of the most prominent spectral lines of hydrogen is the H line, a bright red line
with a wavelength of 656.1 109 m. What is the expected wavelength of the H line
from a star receding with a speed of 3, 000 km/s?