(Part 1 of 3) Suppose an atom is moving at speed 1/2 c in the lab. The atom then

Question

(Part 1 of 3)

Suppose an atom is moving at speed 1/2 c in the lab. The atom then releases a photon flash of light, moving at speed c relative to the atom, and in the same direction as the atom. In your everyday intuition, what would you expect a stationary observer in the lab to record as the speed of the photon?

1. some other speed

2. 1/2c

3. c

4. 0

5. 3/2c

(Part 2 of 3)

According to the experiment described in the video, if an atom releases a photon flash of light moving at speed c relative to the atom in the same direction as the atom, and the atom itself is moving at speed 1/2 c in the lab, at what speed will an observer in the lab watch- ing these two move by observe the photon to travel?

1. 1/2 c

2. 3/2 c

3. some other speed

4. 0

5. c

(Part 3 of 3)

In the present experiment, the emitting object was not an atom, but rather another particle, a ?0. Look up this particle. It is an example of a

meson.

lepton.

baryon.

fundamental particle.

neutron.

Explanation / Answer

(1) Everyday intuition adds the velocities to get c + c/2 = 3 c / 2 giving #5. ---------------------- (2) Using the relativistic addition formula V2 = ( V1 - U) / (1 - U V1 / c^2) where U is the speed of the frame of the atom relative to the observer and V1 is the speed of the photon relative to the atom-------- This gives (c - c/2) / [ 1 - c * (c/2) / c^2] = c which is again answer 5. (The speed of light is always c as measured in any frame of reference.) (3) can't read part of the question.

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