A spaceship moves at a speed of 0.95 c away from the Earth.It shoots a star wars torpedo toward the Earth at a speed of 0.90 c relative to the ship.What is the velocity of the torpedo relative to the Earth? (The direction in which the spaceship moves is the positive direction. )
A)-0.34 c
B)0.34 c
C)0.060 c
D)-0.060 c
E)0

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The velocity of the torpedo relative to the Earth can be calculated using the relativistic velocity addition formula: $ v = \frac{u + v'}{1 + \frac{uv'}{c^2}} $. Substituting $ u = 0.95c $ and $ v' = -0.90c $, we get $ v \approx 0.34c $.

A Spaceship Moves at a Speed of 0