A muon is an unstable particle that has an average lifetime of 1.52 × 10^-6 s. This is the time interval between its creation in a nuclear process and its extinction into decay products, as measured in a frame of reference at rest with respect to the muon. An "average" muon is observed by a scientist on Earth to travel 342 m in its lifetime. What is the speed of the muon relative to Earth? A) 0.821c B) 0.681c C) 0.601c D) 0.551c E) 0.335c

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the formula for distance,
distance = speed x time
342 m = speed x (1.52 × 10^-6 s)
Solving for speed gives:
speed = distance / time = 342 m / (1.52 × 10^-6 s) = 2.25 × 10^8 m/s
To find the speed relative to Earth, we need to divide by the speed of light:
speed relative to Earth = 2.25 × 10^8 m/s / 3 × 10^8 m/s = 0.75
Therefore, the answer is C, 0.601c (where c is the speed of light).

A Muon Is an Unstable Particle That Has an Average