Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]PhysicsThe Special Theory of Relativity
If a rod travels at a relativistic speed v , its mass
Options
- Amay remain unaltered
- Bmay increase by some factor other than
- Cmay decrease
- Dmust increase by a factor of
Correct answer
D. must increase by a factor of
Step-by-step solution
According to the special theory of relativity, the relativistic mass m of an object moving with a velocity v is given by the relation: m = m₀ 1 - v^2 c^2 where m₀ is the rest mass of the object and c is the speed of light in vacuum. The Lorentz factor is defined as: = 1 1 - v^2 c^2 Substituting into the mass equation, we get: m = m₀ Since the rod is traveling at a relativistic speed v , the factor > 1 . Therefore, the relativistic mass of the rod must increase by a factor of irrespective of the direction of its mot