Special Relativity and Time Dilation Exercises

A rocket leaves Earth and travels to a star that is 20 light years (one light year equals 9.46E15 meters) as seen by the Earth. The speed of the rocket is 0.8c relative to the Earth. The time for the trip as measured on by the astronauts in the spaceship is

• 25 years

• 20 years

• 15 years

• 12 years

Compared to clocks in a stationary reference frame moving clocks run 

• faster
• slower
• at the same rate

When you approach a light source, the light from that source has a speed 

• greater than c. 
• less than c. 
• equal to c.
  

We do not usually observe relativistic effects in our daily lives because 

• we are moving at speeds much less than c. 
• we are much larger than atoms. 
• we are much heavier than elementary particles. 
• we are much lighter than stars. 

Who was the creator of a special theory of relativity? It showed calculations of time and motion.

• Albert Einstein
• Hitler
• Nazis

As an object approaches the speed of light, time for that object speeds up, and it ages more quickly.

• True
• False

What does the relativity of simultaneity say?

• Two events may occur at the same time in one reference frame, but not another.
• If two events occur at the same time in one reference frame, they will occur at the same time in all reference frames.

A postulate is something that is accepted as true at the beginning of a logical argument.

• True

• False

How many postulates are there in the special theory of relativity?

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

The speed of light is constant in all frames of reference.

• True
• False