Prime takes a trip in spaceship to a distant station (distance L = 1 light year) at uniform speed (v=0.8c).
After reaching the distant station, Prime takes a return spaceship to meet Unprime in Ahmedabad. Explain who is younger after this journey: Prime or Unprime, and by how many years? Use units of distance as light year and that of time as year.
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Expert's answer
2021-01-06T13:57:18-0500
Explanations & Calculations
Time dilation/expansion is the base theory applied here.
And what this question describes is the thought called "twin paradox".
The earthbound Unprime sees that Prime takes a longer time to return to earth equally Prime sees that Unprime has aged more as he returns.
The relationship for the time dilation is given by,
ΔT=γΔττΔTΔτ=Lorentz factor=1−c2v2=duration relative to earthbound one=duration relative spacebound one
As seen by Prime, it takes 2×0.8c1c×year=2.5years for the whole trip.
Therefore, this time is seen as
Δt=1−c2(0.8c)21×2.5years=4.167years
by Unprime.
Therefore, Prime is 4.167 years younger than Unprime.
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