Length contraction (1 Viewer)

[weirdguy99]

Hey, can you guys help with this question.

A spaceship is moving from Uranus (left) to Neptune (right) at high speed. Draw simple sketches describing how the following are visibly distorted:-

a)Neptune relative to the spaceship.
b)Uranus relative to the spaceship.
c)Neptune relative to Uranus.
d)Spaceship relative to Neptune.
e)Spaceship relative to Uranus.

The thing I dont understand about this is what "relative" means in each of those questions. I think it means in relation...

For example, does a and b mean that your travelling with (or in relation/same velocity) to the spacecraft? and vice versa for d and e. Therefore for a and b, the planets would contract and for d and e, the spaceship would contract.

Thanks.

 

[sexisash]

Hey, can you guys help with this question.

A spaceship is moving from Uranus (left) to Neptune (right) at high speed. Draw simple sketches describing how the following are visibly distorted:-

a)Neptune relative to the spaceship.
b)Uranus relative to the spaceship.
c)Neptune relative to Uranus.
d)Spaceship relative to Neptune.
e)Spaceship relative to Uranus.

The thing I dont understand about this is what "relative" means in each of those questions. I think it means in relation...

For example, does a and b mean that your travelling with (or in relation/same velocity) to the spacecraft? and vice versa for d and e. Therefore for a and b, the planets would contract and for d and e, the spaceship would contract.

Thanks.

A and B mean you are in the same reference frame as the spaceship. C and D mean you're on Neptune, E means you're on Uranus.

"L is the length observed by an observer in relative motion with respect to the object", that means travelling in any direction.

so in A you're moving TOWARDS neptune: Neptune contracts.
in B you're moving AWAY FROM uranus: Uranus contracts too.
in C: nothing. Neptune and Uranus aren't moving significantly?
D: Neptune contracts
E: Uranus contracts

 

[pman]

Length contraction etc is a result of relativity, this is why it is relative...basically draw them from stationary relative to them and then contract their length due to the speed of the ship

 

[pman]

A and B mean you are in the same reference frame as the spaceship. C and D mean you're on Neptune, E means you're on Uranus.

"L is the length observed by an observer in relative motion with respect to the object", that means travelling in any direction.

so in A you're moving TOWARDS neptune: Neptune contracts.
in B you're moving AWAY FROM uranus: Uranus contracts too.
in C: nothing. Neptune and Uranus aren't moving significantly?
D: Neptune contracts
E: Uranus contracts

D and E are actually spaceship contracts becouse you are viewing it from the planets!

 

[weirdguy99]

The answers say that in d and e, the spaceship will contract.

 

[pman]

by "relative to", it just means "viewed from".

 

[weirdguy99]

OOH I see now. Thanks alot for your answers and suggestions.

 

[sexisash]

D and E are actually spaceship contracts becouse you are viewing it from the planets!

Sorry!! You're quite right. Misread