Physics 203 Final-Questions 2025/2026 with 100%
Correct Solutions
Galilean Principle of Relativity
Newton's laws of motion are valid in all inertial refrence frames
Inertial Reference frame
how an object appears to move from the observor's perspective
-the first law of motion holds: either at rest or moving with constant velocity
-An example is that if a refrence frame is moving at constant velocity with respect to the ineratial
refrence frame, it is an inertial refrence frame
Principle of relativity
as you go from one frame to another, things should be constant because they are absolute(mass,
force, length, time)
Reference Frame
coordinate system where position and time measurements are taken for objects
In a reference frame, at what velocity are experiementers moving
they are at rest
Why is the earth not considered an INERTIAl refrence fram
because it is constantly rotating on its axis and revolving around the sun
How does speed travel depending on the inertial reference frames
Speed is constant and travels at the same speed in all frames
,If a reference frame is moving at a constant velocity relative to an inertial refrence frame,
what is this considered
an inertial reference frame
Accelerating reference frames
not the same as an inertial reference frame
Michelson-Morley Experiment
discovered that the earth is not moving relate to the medium through which light was thought to
travel
Special relativity
applies only to the inertial reference frames
Constancy of the speed of light
speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observors
Event
physical activity that occurs at a definite point in space an at a definite time as measured with a
refrence frame's coordinate system and clocks
How do you synchronize clocks in the moving reference frames
we know the speed of light so we can calculate exactly how long light will take to travel distance
from origin to location of each clock
Simultaneous
, occurring at same time but at different positions
Are simultaneous events observed at the same time
No. typically seen at different times because of difference in the way the light travels from the
events to the experimenter. However, the events are simultaneous so they occur at the exact same
time.
Relativity of Simultaneity
events that are simultaneous in reference frame S are not siumultaneous in any frame S' that is
moving relative to S
Time dilation
Light travels at the same speed so if a person is traveling a further distance than another person,
the amount of time for the first person appears to be slower. Which is why the second person
appears t0 age fastser--> this is why moving clocks run "slower"
Why do moving clocks run slower
they are covering a greater distance and thus the time must compensate to make sure that the
speed of light is constant
Proper time
time interval between two events that occur at the same position
- the shortest possible time interval
Length contraction
moving objects are shorter in the direction of motion; true in both refrence frames
Correct Solutions
Galilean Principle of Relativity
Newton's laws of motion are valid in all inertial refrence frames
Inertial Reference frame
how an object appears to move from the observor's perspective
-the first law of motion holds: either at rest or moving with constant velocity
-An example is that if a refrence frame is moving at constant velocity with respect to the ineratial
refrence frame, it is an inertial refrence frame
Principle of relativity
as you go from one frame to another, things should be constant because they are absolute(mass,
force, length, time)
Reference Frame
coordinate system where position and time measurements are taken for objects
In a reference frame, at what velocity are experiementers moving
they are at rest
Why is the earth not considered an INERTIAl refrence fram
because it is constantly rotating on its axis and revolving around the sun
How does speed travel depending on the inertial reference frames
Speed is constant and travels at the same speed in all frames
,If a reference frame is moving at a constant velocity relative to an inertial refrence frame,
what is this considered
an inertial reference frame
Accelerating reference frames
not the same as an inertial reference frame
Michelson-Morley Experiment
discovered that the earth is not moving relate to the medium through which light was thought to
travel
Special relativity
applies only to the inertial reference frames
Constancy of the speed of light
speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observors
Event
physical activity that occurs at a definite point in space an at a definite time as measured with a
refrence frame's coordinate system and clocks
How do you synchronize clocks in the moving reference frames
we know the speed of light so we can calculate exactly how long light will take to travel distance
from origin to location of each clock
Simultaneous
, occurring at same time but at different positions
Are simultaneous events observed at the same time
No. typically seen at different times because of difference in the way the light travels from the
events to the experimenter. However, the events are simultaneous so they occur at the exact same
time.
Relativity of Simultaneity
events that are simultaneous in reference frame S are not siumultaneous in any frame S' that is
moving relative to S
Time dilation
Light travels at the same speed so if a person is traveling a further distance than another person,
the amount of time for the first person appears to be slower. Which is why the second person
appears t0 age fastser--> this is why moving clocks run "slower"
Why do moving clocks run slower
they are covering a greater distance and thus the time must compensate to make sure that the
speed of light is constant
Proper time
time interval between two events that occur at the same position
- the shortest possible time interval
Length contraction
moving objects are shorter in the direction of motion; true in both refrence frames
