JIF103 PHYSICS 1
Worksheet 4
Solve Lorentz Transformation of Velocity
How to relate the velocity of an object observed by you
and also by a drone traveling near the speed of light?
uconstant near c
y y’
v,t
v’, t’ vconstant near c
object
you x drone x’
Sp ecial Relativity M aths Problem Solving Series
Illustrate Lorentz transformation of velocity ( u near c)
v − v′
u=
vv′
1− 2
c
uconstant near c
you drone
v′ + u v −u
v= v′ =
v′u vu vconstant near c
1+ 2 1− 2
c c
object
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 2
To help you learn on how to transform the velocity in one reference frame to the other when the relative speed near c, let’s
go over Example 4.1.
Example 4.1 Use lorentz transformation to calculate the velocity
In an accelerator, an electron is shot at 0.9c. What is the electron’s speed relative to a neutron
moving at 0.8c?
Steps Actions
1 Sketch the situation
u = 0.8c
neutron
accelerator v’ = ?
electron
v = 0.9c
2 From the question, identify the relative speed
In an accelerator, an electron is shot at 0.9c. What is the electron’s speed relative to a neutron
moving at 0.8c?
relative speed near c, so use lorentz transformation to calculate velocity
3 Solve using the lorentz transformation of velocity
=v′
v −u
=
( 0.9 − 0.8 )c
= 0.36 c
1 − 2 1 − ( 0.9 )( 0.8 )
vu
c
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 3
Example 4.2 Use lorentz transformation to calculate the velocity
A spacestation passes the earth at a cruising velocity of 0.5c. If the station ejects a space capsule at
0.7c, what is the speed of the capsule as detected by the earth mission controller?
Steps Actions
1 Sketch the situation
u = 0.5c
space station
earth v’ = 0.7c
x’
v=?
2 From the question, identify the relative speed
relative speed near c, so use lorentz transformation to calculate velocity
A spacestation passes the earth at a cruising velocity of 0.5c. If the station ejects a space
capsule at 0.7c, what is the speed of the capsule as detected by the earth mission
controller?
3 Solve using the lorentz transformation of velocity
=v
v′ + u
=
( 0.7=+ 0.5 ) c
0.89 c
v′u 1 + ( 0.7)(0.5 )
1+ 2
c
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 4
Activity 4.1 Solve the following lorentz transformation of velocity
1. A space plane flies away from the sun at 0.7c as a solar flare blowing out from the sun at 0.9c.
What is the speed of the flare gaining on the plane as measured by the crew on board?
2. A space ship that is moving at 0.59c measures the speed of an approaching meteroid to be 0.45c.
What is the speed of the meteroid relative to the earth?
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 5
3. A distant quasar is moving away from the earth at 0.78c. A galaxy along the same line of sight
is moving from the earth at 0.3c. What is the recessional speed of the quasar as measured by the
inhabitants in the other galaxy?
4. A fuel tank is jettisoned at a speed of 0.85c from a rocket. If the mission controller measures
the tank’s speed to be 0.7c, what is the rocket’s speed? In which direction is the rocket moving?
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 6
5. A radioactive atom in a beam produced by an accelerator has a speed of 0.97c. The atom
decays and ejects electron at speed 0.6c relative to itself. What is the speed of the electron as
measured by the accelerator scientist if it is ejected in the
(a) forward direction?
(b) backward direction?
6. A collision between two gamma rays creates an electron and an antielectron that travels from
the point of creation in opposite directions, both with speeds 0.96c. What is the speed of the
antielectron relative to the electron?
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 7
7. A proton and an antiproton are approaching each other in a head-on collision. If each has a
speed of 0.65c with respect to the collision point, how fast are they moving with respect to each
other?
8. A space voyager leaves a space station with speed 0.6c. Later a space shuttle leaves the space
station with speed 0.9c in the same direction.
(a) What is the velocity of the
(i) voyager as observed from the shuttle?
(ii) shuttle as observed from the voyager?
(b) What can you say about the relative motion of the space vehicles as seen from each other
respectively from question (a)?
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 8
9. A drone is moving at 0.8c. If a rocket passes the drone at a relative speed of 0.4c, what is the
speed of the rocket with respect to the earth?
10. The crew of a spaceship shoots a neutron gun with neutrons having a speed of 0.45c towards
earth. The earth mission controller measures the speed of the neutrons to be 0.29c. What is the
speed of the spaceship?
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 9
11. A neutral kaon Ko at rest decays into two π mesons which travel in the opposite direction at
0.8c. If the Ko is instead moving at 0.4c, what would be the velocity of the two π mesons?
12. Two space capsules, P and Q are approaching Mars from the opposite directions. Capsule P is
approaching Mars at a speed of 0.8c while capsule Q is approaching capsule P at a relative
speed of 0.96c. At what speed does the capsule Q approach Mars?
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 10
13. Three galaxies are aligned along an axis in the order P, Q, R. An alien in the middle galaxy Q
observes that galaxies P and R are moving in the opposite directions away from him, each with
speed 0.8c. What are the speed of galaxies Q and R as observed by another alien in galaxy P?
Time to reflect:
What is your strategy in solving the Lorentz transformation of spacetime?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 11
WORKSHEET 4 Solve Lorentz Transformation of Velocity
No. Answer
1 v′ = 0.54c
2 v = 0.19c
3 v′ = 0.63c
4 u = − 0.37c towards left (since the velocity is negative)
5 (a) v = 0.99c
(b) v = 0.89c
6 v′ = − 0.999c
7 v′ = 0.91c
8 (a)(i) v′ = − 0.65c
(ii) v′ = 0.65c
(b) v’voyager negative → shuttle sees voyager receeding from it
v’shuttle positive → voyager sees shuttle gaining on it
9 v = 0.91c
10 u = 0.18c
11 (a) vπ right = 0.91c
(b) vπ left = − 0.59c
12 u = − 0.69c towards left
13 vQ relative to P = 0.8c
vR relative to P = 0.98c
faridah@usm.my
Worksheet 4 Lorentz transformation of velocity JIF 103 Lorentz transformation: mathematics of special relativity 12
