Question

A meter stick is located horizontally along the x-axis. The meter stick is moving with a velocity of 0.90c along the y-axis. To an observer standing on the x-axis, the length of the stick will be (A) zero (B) less than 1m (C) 1 m (D) more than 1 m E) unpredictable

Answer 1

Answer:

The length will be less than 1.0 meter.

Explanation:

By Enistien's theory of special relativity the length contraction is given by

$L_{f}=L_o\sqrt{1-(\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}})}$

Applying the given values we get

$L_{f}=1.0\times \sqrt{1-\frac{(0.9c)^{2}}{c^{2}}}\\\\\therefore L_{f}=1.0\times 0.435\\\\L_{f}=0.435meters$

Thus the length is less than 1 meter