IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity

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The following questions are taken from previous IB exams. Each
mark represents about 1.25 to 1.5 minutes of writing time.
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This problem set does not represent 100% of the topics covered in
the unit. Refer to your notes and the IB syllabus to ensure you
have studied all applicable materials. The questions are
merely reflective of question styles.
Remember that IB marking is not percentage marking in that if you
were only able to answer correctly half of these questions your
mark would not be 50% (it would marked on a 1 to 7 scale and
then transcribed into a percentage. Typically if you can
achieve 80% on a test it warrants a 7 (about 97%) this is due to
the difficulty of the questions and marking scheme.

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
1. This question is about the postulates of relativity.

(a) State the two postulates of special relativity.

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(2)

(b) State and explain which postulate can be predicted from Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory
of light.

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(2)

(c) Outline one piece of experimental evidence that supports the special theory of relativity.

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(Total 7 marks)

2. This question is about the postulates of special relativity.

(a) State the two postulates of the special theory of relativity.

Postulate 1

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Postulate 2

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(2)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity

(b) Two identical spacecraft are moving in opposite directions each with a speed of 0.80 c as
measured by an observer at rest relative to the ground. The observer on the ground
measures the separation of the spacecraft as increasing at a rate of 1.60 c.

0.80 c 0.80 c

ground

(i) Explain how this observation is consistent with the theory of special relativity.

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(1)

(ii) Calculate the speed of one spacecraft relative to an observer in the other.

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(3)
(Total 6 marks)

3. This question is about frames of reference.

(a) Explain what is meant by a reference frame.

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(2)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
In the diagram below, Jasper regards his reference frame to be at rest and Morgan’s reference
frame to be moving away from him with constant speed v in the x-direction.

v
Jasper Morgan

light source

x x

Morgan carries out an experiment to measure the speed of light from a source which is at rest in
her reference frame. The value of the speed that she obtains is c.

(b) Applying a Galilean transformation to the situation, state the value that Jasper would be
expected to obtain for the speed of light from the source.

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(1)

(c) State the value that Jasper would be expected to obtain for the speed of light from the
source based on Maxwell’s theory of electromagnetic radiation.

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(1)

(d) Deduce, using the relativistic equation for the addition of velocities, that Jasper will in fact
obtain a value for the velocity of light from the source consistent with that predicted by the
Maxwell theory.

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(3)

In Morgan’s experiment to measure the speed of light she uses a spark as the light source.
According to her, the spark lasts for a time interval of 1.5 s. In this particular situation, the time
duration of the spark as measured by Morgan is known in the Special Theory of Relativity as the
proper time.

(e) (i) Explain what is meant by proper time.

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
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(1)

(ii) According to Jasper, the spark lasts for a time interval of 3.0 μs. Calculate the
relative velocity between Jasper and Morgan.

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(3)
(Total 11 marks)

4. This question is about concepts of time and length in Special Relativity.

(a) Define what is meant by a frame of reference.

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(1)

(b) A car moves along a straight level track with velocity v. A and B are points at each end of
the car and O is an observer in the car at the mid-point between A and B. When O and C are
opposite each other, lightning strikes ends A and B of the car. Observer O receives the light
from A and B at the same instant, as measured on his clock.

O
v

A B

C ground

(i) Discuss whether the lightning strikes appear to be simultaneous to observer O and to
observer C.

Observer O: .................................................................................................

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
Observer C: .................................................................................................

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(4)

(ii) The length of the car, as measured by observer O, is 9.0 m. As measured by C, the
length is 7.2 m. Determine the speed, in terms of the speed c of light, of the car as
measured by observer C.

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(3)
(Total 8 marks)

5. This question is about relativistic motion.

The radioactive decay of a nucleus of actinium-228 involves the release of a β-particle that has a
total energy of 2.51 MeV as measured in the laboratory frame of reference. This total energy is
significantly larger than the rest mass energy of a β-particle.

(a) Explain the difference between total energy and rest mass energy.

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(2)

(b) Deduce that the Lorentz factor, as measured in the laboratory reference frame, for the
β-particle in this decay is 4.91.

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(3)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
A detector is placed 37 cm from the actinium source, as measured in the laboratory reference
frame.

(c) Calculate, for the laboratory reference frame,

(i) the speed of the β-particle.

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(2)

(ii) the time taken for the β-particle to reach the detector.

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The events described in (c) can be described in the β-particle’s frame of reference.

(d) For this frame,

(i) identify the moving object.

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(1)

(ii) state the speed of the moving object.

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(1)

(iii) calculate the distance travelled by the moving object.

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(2)
(Total 13 marks)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
6. This question is about proper time.

A muon at the top of the atmosphere is moving toward the ground with speed v. In the frame of
reference of a person at rest with respect to the ground, the muon takes a time Tg to reach the
ground. In the frame of reference of the muon, the ground takes a time Tm to reach the muon.

(a) Explain why the proper time is measured by a clock in the muon frame of reference

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(2)

(b) The time Tg was measured to be 10.2 s. The speed v is 0.98 c. Calculate Tm.

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(2)
(Total 4 marks)

7. This question is about simultaneity.

The diagram below shows a railway carriage travelling to the right at constant velocity. A
flashbulb is hanging from a point midway between the ends L and R of the carriage. Each flash
produces single pulses sent in opposite directions.

fashbulb

L Clare R

Nino

Clare is at rest at the centre of the carriage. Light pulses from the flashbulb are observed by Clare
to strike the opposite walls L and R of the carriage simultaneously. Nino is at rest on the ground.
He is opposite Clare at the moment when the bulb flashes.

State and explain whether Nino observes the pulses striking L and R simultaneously.

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(Total 3 marks)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
8. This question is about relative velocities.

(a) Describe what is meant by a Galilean transformation.

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(1)

(b) Two electrons travel along the same straight line towards each other. The speed of each
electron with respect to an observer in the laboratory frame of reference is 0.9800 c.

Calculate the relative speed of the electrons using

(i) the Galilean transformation equation;

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(1)

(ii) the relativistic transformation equation.

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(c) Comment on your answers in (b).

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(Total 6 marks)

9. This question is about mass-energy.

(a) Distinguish between the rest mass-energy of a particle and its total energy.

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
(b) The rest mass of a proton is 938 MeV c–2. State the value of its rest mass-energy.

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(1)

(c) A proton is accelerated from rest through a potential difference V until it reaches a speed of
0.980 c. Determine the potential difference V as measured by an observer at rest in the
laboratory frame of reference.

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(4)
(Total 7 marks)

10. (a) Distinguish between rest mass energy and total energy of a particle.

Rest mass energy: .................................................................................................

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Total energy: .................................................................................................

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(2)

(b) Estimate the energy released during the annihilation of an electron-positron pair. Explain
why your answer is an estimate.

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(2)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
(c) The graph shows the variation with speed v of the kinetic energy EK of a particle according
to Newtonian mechanics.

EK

0
0 0.5c 1.0c 1.5c 2.0c
speed / v

On the graph above, draw a line to represent the variation with speed v of the kinetic energy
according to relativistic mechanics.
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

11. This question is about relativistic momentum and energy.

A proton is accelerated from rest through a potential difference of 2.0  109 V. Calculate the final
momentum of the proton in units of MeV c–1.

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(Total 3 marks)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
12. This question is about the Michelson-Morley experiment.

The diagram below shows the essential features of the apparatus used in the Michelson-Morley
experiment.

moveable mirror

fixed mirror

light source

observer

A is a half-silvered mirror.

(a) State the purpose of the experiment.

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(1)

(b) On the diagram above, draw rays to show the paths of the light from the source that produce
the interference pattern seen by the observer.
(3)

(c) For part of the experiment, the whole apparatus was rotated though 90°. Explain why.

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
(d) Explain the function of the moveable mirror.

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(e) Describe the results of the experiment and explain how the result supports the Special
Theory of Relativity.

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(2)
(Total 9 marks)

13. This question is about relativistic kinematics.

(a) Muons are unstable particles that have an average lifetime of 2.2 × 10–6 s as measured in a
reference frame in which they are at rest. Muons that are created at a height of 3.0 km above
the Earth’s surface move vertically downward with a speed of 0.98c as measured by an
observer at rest on the Earth’s surface.

(i) Calculate the average lifetime of a muon as measured by the observer on Earth.

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(2)

(ii) Calculate the distance travelled by a muon during a time equal to the average
lifetime of the muon according to the observer at rest relative to the Earth’s surface.

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
(iii) Calculate the distance travelled by the Earth during a time equal to the average
lifetime of the muon according to an observer at rest relative to the muon.

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(iv) Muons created at a height of 3.0 km above the Earth’s surface are in fact detected on
the surface of the Earth. Use your answers to (ii) and (iii) together with any other
relevant calculations to explain this observation according to

1. the observer at rest on the surface of the Earth;

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(2)

2. the observer at rest relative to the muon.

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(b) The rest mass of the muon is 106 MeV c–2. Calculate the potential difference through
which a muon at rest in the lab must be accelerated in order to have a speed of 0.98c. (The
electric charge of the muon is identical to that of the electron.)

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(3)
(Total 14 marks)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity

14. This question is about General Relativity and experimental evidence to support it.

On 29 March 1919, an experiment was carried out by Eddington to provide evidence to support
Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. The diagram below (not to scale) shows the relative
position of the Sun, Earth and a star S on this date.

Sun

Earth
orbit path of
Earth about Sun

This particular date was chosen because at the place where the experiment was carried out, there
was a total eclipse of the Sun.

Eddington measured the apparent position of the star and six months later, he again measured the
position of the star from Earth.

(a) State why it was necessary for there to be a total solar eclipse to carry out the experiment.

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(1)

(b) Explain why it was necessary to measure the position of the star six months later.

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(1)

(c) On the diagram, draw the path of a ray of light from S to the Earth as suggested by
Einstein’s theory.
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
(d) Explain how Einstein’s theory accounts for the path of the ray that you have drawn.

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(2)

(e) On the diagram, label with the letter A, the apparent position of the star as seen from Earth.
(1)
(Total 6 marks)

15. An electron of rest mass m0 is accelerated through a potential difference V. The total mass of the
electron is 3.0 m0.

(a) Determine the momentum of the accelerated electron, as measured in the laboratory frame
of reference.

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(2)

(b) After acceleration, this electron collides with a stationary electron. Discuss whether it is
possible for an additional electron-positron pair to be created by this collision. You should
consider both the momentum and the energy.

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(3)
(Total 5 marks)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
16. This question is about gravitational redshift.

Alex and Elspeth are in a spaceship that is moving with constant speed in the direction shown.
Close to Alex is a light source fixed to the floor of the spaceship. Both Alex and Elspeth measure
the same value for the frequency of the light emitted by the source.

Alex Elspeth

The spaceship now starts to accelerate.

(a) Explain why, to Elspeth, the light from the source close to Alex will now be observed to
emit light of a lower frequency.

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(3)

(b) Outline how the situation described in (a) leads to the idea of gravitational redshift.

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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

17. This question is about relativistic mechanics.

A proton is accelerated from rest through a potential difference. After acceleration the proton has
a mass equal to twice its rest mass, mp.

(a) State an expression in terms of mp, for the total energy E of the proton after acceleration.

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(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity

(b) Determine the momentum of the proton after acceleration given that the rest mass mp = 930
MeVc–2.

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(3)
(Total 4 marks)

18. This question is about black holes.

(a) Describe, by reference to space-time, what is meant by a black hole.

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(2)

(b) After a particular star has become a supernova, its mass is 2  1031 kg. Determine the radius
of the black hole it subsequently forms.

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(2)
(Total 4 marks)

19. One prediction of Einstein’s general theory of relativity is the effect of “gravitational lensing”.
This effect can be predicted from the principle of equivalence.

(a) State the principle of equivalence.

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(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Relativity
(b) Use the principle to explain gravitational lensing.

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(4)
(Total 5 marks)

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