Answer to Question #98576 in Mechanics | Relativity for Mimo

Question

Two laser pointers are placed at a distance 2Lo apart along x-axis in the optical lab. frame. At a particular moment in time, the lasers point out light simultaneously (named events A and B), which cross at the midway point (named event C), and then arrive simultaneously at the opposite side (named event D and E).

(a) Draw a spacetime diagram of the events in the optical lab reference frame. Draw the worldlines of the laser pointers and the light rays. Mark all five events and draw lines of simultaneity connecting events A and B, and events D and E.

(b) Draw a spacetime diagram of the situation in a moving frame with velocity v = +βc relative to the laboratory. Draw all the worldlines, events and the lines of simultaneity that connect events A and B, and events D and E.

(c) Given that the slope of worldlines in (b) is -2 and the slope of lines of simultaneity is -1/2. Draw both reference frames on a single spacetime diagram.

Answer 1

a)

b)

c)