Assignment II

Q1) Derive the time-dilation and length contraction formulas by using spacetime diagrams, where i)
the clock is at rest in the ‘s’ frame (orthogonal axes) and ii) the rod is at rest in the S’ frame (inclined
axes).

Q2) Consider a long street (x-axis) on which there are lamp posts at regular intervals,  . A car is
speeding away at a speed v  1 3 along this street . The lamps on the lamp posts are switched on
simultaneously in the ground frame at t = 0.

a) Draw the space and time axes of the two frames, the ground frame and the car’s frame.

b) Mark on the time axis of the car ‘s frame, the time instants when the lamps are switched on
according to the driver of the car. What is the time gap t between the switching-on of two
consecutive lamps as seen by the driver of the car by taking  to be i) 100 m ii) one light year
(intergalactic high way)

c) Mark on the time axis of the car’s frame, the actual time instants when the driver of the car sees
the lamps to be switched on, that is, actual time instants when the light from the lamps reaches him.
Do the calculation for the two bits ((i) and (ii)) of the previous question.

Q3) Consider a particle moving along the x-axis of a frame S as given below.

x(t )  b2  t 2

Note that we are using relativistic units, so that the constant ‘b’ has the dimension of either length
or time as does time ‘t’. Written in ordinary units, the formula above will be

x(t)  b2  c2 t 2 (c is the speed of light)

a) Find the velocity of the particle as a function of time in the frame S and show that it never exceeds
the speed of light.

b) Find the proper time  as a function of time t of frame S, assuming that   0 when the particle
starts moving (that is, t=0).

c) How much time will the particle’s clock read when the S frames clock reads 1 million years. Take
the value of b to be 1 year (or, 1 ly).

d) Show the particle’s world line on the spacetime diagram.

e) If a light signal is sent in the direction of the particle from the origin of the S frame as soon as the
particle starts moving, will the signal reach the particle?

f) If the particle emits a light signal towards a man at rest at the origin of the S frame when its clock
reads 1 yr, at what time t will it reach the man?
Q4) This question refers to the problem of Bob and Alice discussed in the class. Bob stays on earth
and Alice takes off on a space ship with a velocity given as

v( t )  at 0  t  t0
 at 0 t0  t  t0  T
 at 0  a ( t  t 0  T) t 0  T  t  2t 0  T

where, a  0.98 yr 1 , t 0 1 yr , T  8 yrs.

i) Find the total distance travelled by Alice, according to Bob.

ii) How far is Alice from the earth at the end of her acceleration phase, according to Bob?

iii) How far is the earth from Alice at the end of her acceleration phase (she will come know that she
has stopped accelerating as the push of the spaceship on her will stop) according to Alice?

iv) Express the acceleration ‘a’ in SI units.

Q5) Refer to Q3 above.

i) Draw the world line of Alice in the spacetime diagram over her entire journey.

ii) Bob send Alice a message, at the speed of light, at the end of five years of Alice’s Journey. Mark
the point on spacetime when the message reaches Alice. Find this time and Alice’s distance from the
earth at this instant, both according to Bob.

iii) If Alice sends back a message as soon as she receives the message from Bob, mark the point on
spacetime when the message reaches Bob. What is the time Bob receives the message?

Q5) Consider a particle moving along the x-axis of a frame S as given below.

x(t )  b2  t 2

Note that we are using relativistic units, so that the constant ‘b’ has the dimension of either length
or time as does time ‘t’. Written in ordinary units, the formula above will be

x(t)  b2  c2 t 2 (c is the speed of light)

a) Find the velocity of the particle as a function of time in the frame S and show that it never exceeds
the speed of light.

b) Find the proper time  as a function of time t of frame S, assuming that   0 when the particle
starts moving (that is, t=0).

c) How much time will the particle’s clock read when the S frames clock reads 1 million years. Take
the value of b to be 1 year (or, 1 ly).
d) Show the particle’s world line on the spacetime diagram.

e) If a light signal is sent in the direction of the particle from the origin of the S frame as soon as the
particle starts moving, will the signal reach the particle?

f) If the particle emits a light signal towards a man at rest at the origin of the S frame when its clock
reads 1 yr, at what time t will it reach the man?

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