Q1 · 2023 · Paper 2Simple familiar3 marks
QUESTION 1 (3 marks)
Describe the effects of relativistic travel on an object.
WORKED SOLUTION
3 marksQCAA guide · typeset solution
ANSWER
See worked solution below.
Worked solution
An object travelling near the speed of light will experience an increase in mass, resulting in increased momentum. It will also experience time slower compared to an observer in another, non-relativistic frame of reference. Finally, an object moving at relativistic speeds would be observed to decrease in length in the direction of its travel.
• describes the effect of time dilation [1 mark]
• describes the effect of length contraction [1 mark]
• describes the effect of relativistic momentum [1 mark]
One QCAA sample method typeset for web; criterion wording is adapted from the official marking guide.
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