- 1. Relativistic mechanics is a branch of physics that combines classical mechanics with special relativity. It describes the motion of objects moving at speeds close to the speed of light, where the effects of relativity become significant. In relativistic mechanics, the concepts of space and time are intertwined, leading to effects such as time dilation and length contraction. The famous equation E=mc2, which relates energy and mass, plays a central role in relativistic mechanics. This field is essential for understanding the behavior of particles in high-energy environments, such as particle accelerators and the early universe.
According to special relativity, what is always constant?
A) c: Mass
B) b: Time
C) d: Distance
D) a: Speed of light
- 2. What is the correct formula for length contraction in special relativity?
A) a: L' = L / (1 - v2 / c2)
B) d: L' = L * (1 - v2 / c2)
C) c: L' = L * sqrt(1 - v2 / c2)
D) b: L' = L / (1 + v2 / c2)
- 3. Who first proposed the theory of special relativity?
A) a: Albert Einstein
B) c: Max Planck
C) d: Richard Feynman
D) b: Isaac Newton
- 4. What is the space-time continuum in relativity?
A) b: The three-dimensional space we live in
B) a: The four-dimensional union of time and space
C) c: The time experienced by each observer
D) d: The measurement of cosmic distances
- 5. How does the concept of simultaneity change in special relativity?
A) b: Events that are simultaneous in one frame may not be in another frame
B) a: All frames agree on simultaneity
C) d: Simultaneous events stop happening
D) c: Events become more synchronous
- 6. What effect does length contraction have on an object moving close to the speed of light?
A) b: It remains constant
B) a: It lengthens
C) d: It becomes narrower
D) c: It appears shorter
- 7. In special relativity, how does the velocity of an object affect its mass?
A) d: The mass becomes zero with velocity
B) c: The mass remains constant with velocity
C) a: The mass decreases with velocity
D) b: The mass increases with velocity
- 8. How does special relativity modify the concept of 'now'?
A) b: 'Now' synchronizes events universally
B) d: 'Now' is in the future
C) c: 'Now' is relative and different for observers in relative motion
D) a: 'Now' is fixed for all observers
- 9. What is the theory that reconciles Newtonian mechanics with electromagnetism?
A) Quantum mechanics
B) Thermodynamics
C) General relativity
D) Special relativity
- 10. At very high speeds approaching the speed of light, the relativistic mass of an object tends towards infinity, thus requiring:
A) Frictionless motion
B) Infinite energy to accelerate further
C) Negative mass
D) Quantum tunneling
- 11. The Lorentz transformations are a set of equations that describe how measurements of space and time differ between two inertial frames moving at a constant velocity with respect to each other. They were derived by:
A) Max Planck
B) Wolfgang Pauli
C) Erwin Schrödinger
D) Hendrik Lorentz
- 12. According to relativity, the energy of an object at rest is fully equivalent to its mass times the square of the speed of light (E = mc2). This principle is known as:
A) Heisenberg uncertainty principle
B) Mass-energy equivalence
C) Bohr's quantization rule
D) Planck's radiation law
- 13. What aspect of relativity refers to the distortion of spacetime caused by massive objects?
A) General relativity
B) Quantum mechanics
C) Special relativity
D) Particle physics
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