Question: 5 . Two spaceships, each 1 0 0 m long when measured at rest, travel toward each other with speeds of 0 . 8 5

5. Two spaceships, each 100 m long when measured at rest, travel toward
each other with speeds of 0.85c as measured by an observer on Earth.
(a) How fast is each ship traveling as measured by an observer on the
other ship?
(b) How long is each ship as measured by the observer on Earth?
(c) How long is each ship as measured by an observer on the other
ship?
(d) Now consider two events: event 1 is when the fronts of the two
ships pass each other (neglect their transverse separation); event
2 is when the backs of the two ships pass each other. What is the
time interval between the two events as measured by an observer
on Earth?
(e) What is the time interval between the events as measured by an
observer on one of the ships, taking into account the perceived
lengths of the ships by that observer?
(f) What is the proper time between the two events? Use that proper
time to check your answer to part (e).

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