The length of a 100-meter long spaceship passing by you at 0.87c is seen to be
A)50 m.
B)87 m.
C)100 m.
D)125 m.
E)150 m.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The observed length of the spaceship is shorter due to the Lorentz contraction, which is calculated using the formula $L = L_0\sqrt{1 - v^2/c^2}$, where $L_0$ is the rest length (100 m in this case), $v$ is the velocity of the spaceship (0.87c), and $c$ is the speed of light. Plugging in the values, the observed length $L$ is shorter than the rest length, specifically 50 m in this case.

The Length of a 100-Meter Long Spaceship Passing by You