Module 24: Special Theory of Relativity

The principle of equivalence tells us that observations made in a Newtonian gravitational field are indistinguishable from observations made in... a) an Einsteinian gravitational field b) none of these c) any other gravitational field d) all of these e) any uniformly moving reference frame

b) none of these

Relative to clocks in a stationary reference frame, clocks in a moving reference frame run... a) at the same speed b) slower c) faster

b) slower

Spaceship clocks moving very fast relative to the Earth run more slowly when viewed from... a) the spaceship b) the Earth c) both places d) neither place

b) the Earth

Strictly speaking, there is a physical slowing of your time when you travel at... a) everyday low speeds b) none of these c) both of these d) relativistic speeds

c) both of these

Event A occurs before event B in a particular frame of reference. In some other frame of reference, event A could occur... a) neither of these b) after event B c) either of these d) simultaneous with event B

c) either of these

When approaching a blinking light source that in turn is moving towards you, you perceive an increase in... a) speed, but not frequency of the light b) both speed and frequency of the light c) frequency of the light, but not speed

c) frequency of the light, but not speed

As you approach a blinking light source, you see its frequency of blinking... a) decreased b) staying the same c) increased

c) increased

Electrons fired in the TV tubes of the previous century traveled at 0.25 times the speed of light, with momentum greater than their mass times 0.25c. Strictly speaking, this... a) has no effect on your electric bill b) decreased your electric bill c) increased your electric bill

c) increased your electric bill

Suppose we see two lightning bolts striking two distant locations at the same time. Seen from a different location, the two lightning bolts... a) will also be seen at the same time b) will not be seen at the same time c) may or may not be seen at the same time

c) may or may not be seen at the same time

The special theory of relativity tells us that all laws of nature are the same in reference frames that... a) oscillate b) accelerate c) move at constant velocity d) none of these e) move in circles

c) move at constant velocity

Relativity theory tells us that if a space trip results in a son or daughter biologically older than their parents, then the space trip is taken by the... a) either b) son or daughter c) parents d) neither, it can't be done

c) parents

As a light source blinking at a steady rate accelerates as it approaches you, the frequency of the flashes... a) decreases b) increases c) remains the same

c) remains the same

In some reference frame in the universe, you at rest, may be traveling at a speed that is... a) none of these choices are correct b) faster than the speed of light c) slower than the speed of light d) at the speed of light

c) slower than the speed of light

If 1-microgram of antimatter strikes the Earth, the amount of radiant energy released would be... a) 18 joules b) 18 thousand joules c) 18 million joules d) 180 billion joules e) 18 billion joules

d) 180 billion joules

Compared to special relativity, general relativity treats... a) space-time geometry b) none of these c) acceleration d) all of these e) gravitation

d) all of these

Objects that accelerate to relativistic speeds... a) grow bigger b) both of these c) live shorter d) none of these

d) none of these

When a heavy meter stick of 1 kg mass is thrown like a spear past you, you measure its momentum to be 2 mv and its length to be... a) 0.25 m b) none of these c) 0.87 m d) 1 m e) 0.5 m

e) 0.5 m

Harry finds his sister more aged after he returns from a space voyage. This is evidence that both have been in different... a) space times b) frames of reference c) realms of time d) none of these e) all of these

e) all of these

According to E = mc squared... a) none of these b) energy is actually mass traveling at the speed of light squared c) mass and energy travel at the speed of light squared d) mass and energy travel at twice the speed of light e) mass and energy are related

e) mass and energy are related

The theory that light propagates through either is... a) discredited b) incomplete, but still useful c) much used d) unexplained

a) discredited

When something is pushed to relativistic speeds, its momentum is... a) greater than mv b) equal to mv c) smaller than mv

a) greater than mv

If the frequency of a blinking light source appears to double as the light source approaches you, then when it moves away from you at the same speed, its frequency... a) is halved b) stays the same c) is doubled

a) is halved

The special theory of relativity tells us that events that are simultaneous in one frame of reference... a) may or may not be simultaneous in other frames of reference b) are simultaneous in all frames of reference c) are not simultaneous in other frames of reference

a) may or may not be simultaneous in other frames of reference

Light takes 1 second to bounce to and fro between the parallel mirrors of a light clock. The time taken as seen by another observer moving at high speed at right angles to the bouncing light is... a) more than 1 second b) less than 1 second c) also 1 second

a) more than 1 second

You and your friend share the same spacetime when there is no... a) relative motion between you b) difference in your rate of heartbeats c) acceleration for either of you

a) relative motion between you

As a blinking light source moves relative to you, the speed of the light... a) remains constant but its frequency can change b) changes but its frequency remains constant c) stays the same, as does its frequency

a) remains constant but its frequency can change

When approaching a light source, the wavelength of the emitted light appears... a) shorter b) longer c) the same

a) shorter

Suppose you and your sister travel in space and you notice a slowing of time for your sister. She will notice that your time runs... a) slower than hers b) the same as hers c) faster than hers d) not enough information given

a) slower than hers

The stretching of time due to motion is called time... a) stretching b) dilation c) contraction d) warp e) expansion

b) dilation

Where is a upper limit on the speed of a particle, which means there is also an upper limit on its... a) kinetic energy b) neither of these c) both of these d) momentum

b) neither of these

As you recede from a blinking light source, you observe the frequency of its blinking as... a) decreased b) increased c) staying the same

a) decreased

As a blinking light source accelerates away from you, you'll notice that the frequency of the blinks... a) decreases b) neither increases nor decreases c) increases

a) decreases

Michelson and Morley provided evidence that the speed of light is... a) all of these b) invariant c) the same whether its source approaches or recedes d) none of these e) constant

a) all of these

The huge clock on the Big Ben Tower in London reads 12 noon. If you could travel away from it at the speed of light and view it with a telescope, it would... a) be frozen at 12 noon b) run slower than usual c) run faster than usual

a) be frozen at 12 noon

Einstein's theory of special relativity tells us that... a) both of these b) none of these c) energy and mass are aspects of each other d) space and time are aspects of each other

a) both of these

Relativistic equations for time, length and momentum hold true for... a) both of these b) relativistic speeds c) everyday low speeds d) none of these

a) both of these