You fire a light signal at 60°north of west (a) Find the velocity component of this, signal according to an observer moving eastward relative to you at half the speed of light. From them. determine the magnitude and direction of the light signal's velocity according to this other observer. (b) Find the component according to a different observer, moving westward relative to you at half the speed of light.

Short Answer

Expert verified

(a) The velocities for the light beam for the moving eastward observer are ux'uy'=-0.8c,06c.

(b) The velocities for the light beam for the moving westward observer are (ux',uy')=(0,c).

Step by step solution

01

Given data

The observer is moving eastward related to the half of the speed of the light.

02

Determine the formulas to calculate the velocity of the component, magnitude and direction according to the observer and component according to different observer.

The expression to calculate the velocity transformation for velocity of object in direction is given as follows.

u'x=ux-v1-uxvc2 ...(i)

Here,ux is the velocity component in the x direction, v is the velocity of frame S'relative to S, and c is the velocity of the light.

The expression to calculate the velocity transformation for velocity of object in ydirection is given as follows.

uy'=uyγv(1-uxvc2) ...(ii)

The expression to calculate the Lorentz factor is given by,

γv=11-(vc)2

03

Calculate the velocity of the component, magnitude and direction according to the observer.

Since the light beam is moving with the x axis, so the component of velocity in x and directiony is given by,

ux=-ccosθuy=csinθ

Calculate the component of velocity in x direction relative to frame S'.

Substitute-ccosθforuxinto equation (i).

ux'=-ccosθ-v1+ccosθvc2ux'=-ccosθ-v1+vcosθc ...(iii)

Calculate the component of velocity in y direction relative to frame S'.

Substitute csinθ for uyinto equation (ii).

uy'=csinθ1--ccosθvc2uy'=csinθγv1+vcosθc

Substitute 11-v/c2for γvinto above equation.

uy'=csinθ11-vc21+vcosθcuy'=c1-vc2sinθ1+vcosθc

Hence the component of velocity of light beam in x and ydirections are -ccosθ-v1+vcosθcand c1-vc2sinθ1+vcosθcrespectively.

Since the observer is moving to right, the velocity,v=+0.5c

Calculate the x component of the velocity,

Substitute 60°forθ and +0.5 c forv into equation (iii).

role="math" localid="1659329161430" ux'=-ccos60°-0.5c1+0.5ccos60°cux'=-0.5c-0.5c1+0.25ux'=-1c1.25ux'=-0.8c

Calculate the component of the velocity,

Substitute 60°for θ and 0.5c for v into equation (iv).

uy'=c1-0.5cc2sin60°1+0.5ccos60°1+0.5×0.5uy'=c1-0.250.8661+0.5×0.5uy'=c0.8660.8661+0.25uy'=0.6c

So, the velocities for the light beam for the moving eastward observer are.

(ux',uy')=(-0.8c,0.6c).

04

Calculate the component according to a different observer, moving westward relative to you at half the speed of light.

Since the observer is moving to left, the velocity,V=-0.5c

Calculate thex component of the velocity,

Substitute60°forθand-0.5c forv into equation (iii).

ux'=-ccos60°-(-0.5c)1+(-0.5c)cos60°cux'=-0.5c+0.5c1-0.25ux'=00.75ux'==0

Calculate the y component of the velocity,

Substitute 60°for θ and -0.5c for v into equation (iv).

uy'=c1--0.5cc2sin60°1+-0.5ccos60°cuy'=c1-0.250.8661-0.5×0.5uy'=c0-.8660.8660.75uy'=c

So, the velocities for the light beam for the moving westward observer are (ux',uy')=(0,c).

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