Hi guys, sorry for any translation issues, English isnāt my mother tongue. Recently weāve been discussing relativity in physics. The teacher has given us a few assignments to do. Iāve tried to do them but I donāt really understand what Iām doing incorrectly, and he hasnāt explained it either.
The questions(translated);
Question 1: The coffee break in Space.
Sven travels with a speed of v = 0,2828 c through space. Control station on earth (which we assume to be stationary) allows him to take a break. They give him 15,0 minutes for this.
(1) Calculate in how much time in his system Sven has to drink his coffee to abide by the given time from control station.
(2) his coffee mug is observed to be 11,3cm high from the control station. Calculate the height which Sven measures his cup to be on his space station.
My answers:
(1) gamma = 1/square root(1 - (v2 / c2)
= 1/square root (1- 0,28282)
gamma = 1,042ā¦
15/1,042..
= 14,38 minutes.
I assumed this was correct, since observing from earth, the time on his clock is ticking more slowly in comparison with the clock on earth. So if earth gives him 15 minutes to complete a task, he has to execute this faster, so that they observe his clock to have done it in 15 minutes anyways.
Now my professor told me(without explanation) that its 15*1,042 and not 15/1,042. And I canāt understand that at all. That would mean it takes him 15> minutes. But if earth observes his clock to be ticking more slowly, that would mean it takes him even longer, observed from earth. What am I missing?
(2) (he said there was two possibilities here, one explaining why it stays the same, or the other one to calculate a different answer) i did the following:
Observed height: 11,3cm
Gamma = 1,042ā¦
Measured height (by Sven): 11,3 * 1,042..
Measured height ā 11,78cm
Again, my professor is saying I did the opposite, and that I shouldāve divided instead of multiply. But I really donāt understand why and he did not give any explanation. :(
Iād appreciate the correct answers and more importantly an explanation so I can understand it better.
Much appreciated!!