Quantrex Quantrex AcademyJEE · NEET · NDA PYQs with solutions Open app
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Exam
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Subject
Physics
Chapter
The Special Theory of Relativity

Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] · Physics · The Special Theory of Relativity

Measured at rest, a rod has an exact length of 1 m . Determine its...

Measured at rest, a rod has an exact length of 1 m1 \text{ m}. Determine its length when it travels at a speed of 3×105 m s−13 \times 10^5 \text{ m s}^{-1}.

Options

  1. A0.9999990 m0.9999990 \text{ m}
  2. B1.0000010 m1.0000010 \text{ m}
  3. C1.0000005 m1.0000005 \text{ m}
  4. D0.9999995 m0.9999995 \text{ m}

Correct answer

D. 0.9999995 m0.9999995 \text{ m}

Step-by-step solution

The rest length of the rod is L0=1 mL_0 = 1 \text{ m}.

The speed of the rod is v=3×105 m s−1v = 3 \times 10^5 \text{ m s}^{-1}.

The speed of light is c=3×108 m s−1c = 3 \times 10^8 \text{ m s}^{-1}.

Using the length contraction formula:

L=L01−v2c2L = L_0 \sqrt{1 - \dfrac{v^2}{c^2}}

Substituting the given values:

L=1×1−(3×1053×108)2L = 1 \times \sqrt{1 - \left(\dfrac{3 \times 10^5}{3 \times 10^8}\right)^2}

L=1−(10−3)2L = \sqrt{1 - (10^{-3})^2}

L=(1−10−6)1/2L = (1 - 10^{-6})^{1/2}

Using the binomial approximation (1−x)n≈1−nx(1 - x)^n \approx 1 - nx for x≪1x \ll 1:

L≈1−12×10−6L \approx 1 - \dfrac{1}{2} \times 10^{-6}

L≈1−0.0000005L \approx 1 - 0.0000005

L=0.9999995 mL = 0.9999995 \text{ m}
Practice The Special Theory of Relativity on Quantrex Academy →

More from The Special Theory of Relativity

A yogi's guru resides in a Karakoram cave, located 1000 km away from the house of the… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]Measured at rest, a rod has an exact length of 1 m . Determine its length when it travels… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]Measured at rest, a rod has an exact length of 1 m . Determine its length when it travels… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]A shop owner measures a suitcase kept on a rack to be 50 cm × 25 cm × 10 cm . A traveller… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]A shop owner measures a suitcase kept on a rack to be 50 cm × 25 cm × 10 cm . A traveller… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]A person standing on a platform notes that a train travelling with a velocity of 0.6c… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]A person standing on a platform notes that a train travelling with a velocity of 0.6c… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]An aeroplane flies over a rectangular field of dimensions 100 m × 50 m , moving parallel… Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] Full The Special Theory of Relativity list All Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] PYQs