In an "atom smasher," two particles collide head on at relativistic speeds.If the velocity of the first particle is 0.741 c to the left,and the velocity of the second particle is 0.543 c to the right (both of these speeds are measured in Earth's rest frame),how fast are the particles moving with respect to each other?
A)0.916 c
B)1.284 c
C)0.934 c
D)0.834 c

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A because the relative velocity of the particles is given by the formula v = (v1 - v2) / (1 - v1 * v2 / c^2), where v1 and v2 are the velocities of the particles and c is the speed of light. Plugging in the given values, we get v = (0.741c - 0.543c) / (1 - 0.741c * 0.543c / c^2) = 0.916c.

In an "Atom Smasher," Two Particles Collide Head on at Relativistic