AST1002 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026 CERTIFICATION STUDY PACK WITH
SOLVED ANSWERS
◉ How must an object be moving for us to be able to use the theory
of special relativity to describe the object. Answer: The object must
be moving at a constant speed in a straight line; how fast it is moving
is not important
◉ Which of the following is a correct and complete statement of
Einstein's first postulate of special relativity. Answer: Your
description of physical reality is the same regardless of the constant
velocity at which you move
◉ Suppose you are in a jet airliner traveling at a constant speed of
400 km/h in a constant direction. All windows are blocked, so you
cannot see outside, and there are no vibrations from the engines.
What experiment can you do to determine that you are in fact
moving. Answer: None—all experiments will give the same results
that you would get when at rest on the ground
◉ Suppose you are in the Space Shuttle in orbit around Earth at a
speed of 7 km/s, and at some particular time your direction of travel
is straight toward the Sun. The speed of light in a vacuum is 300,000
, km/s. What speed will you measure for light from the Sun. Answer:
300,000 km/s
◉ Two spaceships are traveling past Earth at 90% of the speed of
light in opposite directions (i.e., they are approaching each other).
One turns on a searchlight, which is seen by scientists aboard the
other. What speed do the scientists measure for this light (c = speed
of light in a vacuum)?. Answer: c
◉ If you see an object moving past you at 90% of the speed of light,
what will its length appear to be. Answer: The object will look
shorter than if it were at rest
◉ Suppose you are in a spaceship traveling toward Earth at 95% of
the speed of light. Compared with when your ship was at rest on
Mars, what length do you measure for your spaceship. Answer: same
◉ Fred and Joanne both measure the length of a particular
spaceship to be 100 m when it is on Earth. Joanne then gets into the
spaceship and, after visiting the Moon, hurtles past Earth at a speed
close to the speed of light. Fred, still on Earth, measures the length of
the moving spaceship to be about 90 m. At the same time, Joanne
(using her own meterstick) measures the length of the spaceship to
be. Answer: 100 m because she is "at rest" on the spaceship
2026 CERTIFICATION STUDY PACK WITH
SOLVED ANSWERS
◉ How must an object be moving for us to be able to use the theory
of special relativity to describe the object. Answer: The object must
be moving at a constant speed in a straight line; how fast it is moving
is not important
◉ Which of the following is a correct and complete statement of
Einstein's first postulate of special relativity. Answer: Your
description of physical reality is the same regardless of the constant
velocity at which you move
◉ Suppose you are in a jet airliner traveling at a constant speed of
400 km/h in a constant direction. All windows are blocked, so you
cannot see outside, and there are no vibrations from the engines.
What experiment can you do to determine that you are in fact
moving. Answer: None—all experiments will give the same results
that you would get when at rest on the ground
◉ Suppose you are in the Space Shuttle in orbit around Earth at a
speed of 7 km/s, and at some particular time your direction of travel
is straight toward the Sun. The speed of light in a vacuum is 300,000
, km/s. What speed will you measure for light from the Sun. Answer:
300,000 km/s
◉ Two spaceships are traveling past Earth at 90% of the speed of
light in opposite directions (i.e., they are approaching each other).
One turns on a searchlight, which is seen by scientists aboard the
other. What speed do the scientists measure for this light (c = speed
of light in a vacuum)?. Answer: c
◉ If you see an object moving past you at 90% of the speed of light,
what will its length appear to be. Answer: The object will look
shorter than if it were at rest
◉ Suppose you are in a spaceship traveling toward Earth at 95% of
the speed of light. Compared with when your ship was at rest on
Mars, what length do you measure for your spaceship. Answer: same
◉ Fred and Joanne both measure the length of a particular
spaceship to be 100 m when it is on Earth. Joanne then gets into the
spaceship and, after visiting the Moon, hurtles past Earth at a speed
close to the speed of light. Fred, still on Earth, measures the length of
the moving spaceship to be about 90 m. At the same time, Joanne
(using her own meterstick) measures the length of the spaceship to
be. Answer: 100 m because she is "at rest" on the spaceship
