The tag has no wiki summary.

learn more… | top users | synonyms

4
votes
2answers
910 views

How to deduce the theorem of addition of velocities?

Lorentz contraction and time dilatation can be deduced without Lorentz transformation. Can you deduce also the theorem of addition of velocities $$w~=~\dfrac{u+v}{1+uv/c^2}$$ without Lorentz ...
6
votes
4answers
794 views

Double light speed

Let's say we have 2 participles facing each other and traveling at speed of light Let's say I'm sitting on #1 participle so in my point of view #2 participle's speed is c+c=2c, double light speed? ...
7
votes
11answers
7k views

Why does the mass of an object increase when its speed approaches that of light?

I'm reading Nano: The Essentials by T. Pradeep and I came upon this statement in the section explaining the basics of scanning electron microscopy. However, the equation breaks down when the ...
5
votes
4answers
706 views

A Basic Question about Gravity, Inertia or Momentum or something along those lines

Why is it that if I'm sitting on a seat on a bus or train and its moving quite fast, I am able to throw something in the air and easily catch it? Why is it that I haven't moved 'past' the thing during ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views

From how high could have Felix Baumgartner jumped without disintegrating like a shooting star?

Today Felix Baumgartner jumped from 39 kilometres high and reached the earth safely. Just considering friction, from how high can a human jump? I expect that from a certain height, he would have ...
0
votes
2answers
508 views

What will be the relative speed of the fly? [duplicate]

It has happened many times and i have ignored it everytime. Yesterday it happened again . I was travelling in a train and saw a fly (insect) flying near my seat. Train was running at a speed of ...
2
votes
4answers
301 views

Why are coordinates and velocities sufficient to completely determine the state and determine the subsequent motion of a mechanical system?

I am a Physics undergraduate, so provide references with your responses. Landau & Lifshitz write in page one of their mechanics textbook: If all the co-ordinates and velocities are ...
2
votes
4answers
584 views

How long must escape velocity be maintained?

Escape velocity from Earth's surface is 11.2 Kilometres/second How long would one need to maintain this escape velocity to actually escape Earth's gravitational pull? Must this 11.2 km/s velocity ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views

Mass of particle near light speed in a medium

I am trying to get a common understanding from these two previous questions: Why does the mass of an object increase when its speed approaches that of light? What happens if light/particles exceeded ...
5
votes
2answers
339 views

Explanation that air drag is proportional to speed or square speed?

A falling object with no initial velocity with mass $m$ is influenced by a gravitational force $g$ and the drag (air resistance) which is proportional to the object's speed. By Newton´s laws this can ...
3
votes
2answers
633 views

Group Velocity and Phase Velocity of Matter Wave?

In quantum mechanics, what is the difference between group velocity and phase velocity of matter wave? How can it also be that phase velocity of matter wave always exceeds the speed of light?
2
votes
0answers
132 views

2D Car Physics including Throttle

For a simulation for testing on automatic cruise control, I came across the equation: $$ v_{n+1} = (1 - k_1 / m) v_n + (1 - k_b) \begin{pmatrix} T_n \\ θ_n \\ \end{pmatrix} $$ where: $T$ = ...
1
vote
3answers
141 views

Functions of Time

1) Is position a function of time only or also velocity? Likewise, is velocity a function of time only or also the position? 2) The following are functions of time: $s(t)$ = distance a particle ...
-4
votes
1answer
183 views

Tricky Conservation of Momentum problem: find the ratio of the carts by mass percentage lost [closed]

A wagon is coasting at a speed $v_A$ along a straight and level road. When 42.5% of the wagon's mass is thrown off the wagon, parallel to the ground and in the forward direction, the wagon is brought ...
2
votes
3answers
816 views

What is the velocity area method for estimating the flow of water?

Can anyone explain to me what the Velocity Area method for measuring river or water flow is? My guess is that the product of the cross sectional area and the velocity of water flowing in a pipe is ...
11
votes
2answers
754 views

How fast would a spaceship have to go to reach Alpha Centauri within a person's lifetime?

Given the recent news about the discovery of an "Earthlike" planet orbiting Alpha Centauri (our nearest stellar neighbour) it got me wondering just how fast would spaceship have to travel to be able ...
5
votes
2answers
835 views

Escape Velocity of Asteriod 243 Ida

I was reading about this asteroid (apparently, it has a moon, isn't that awesome?) and I started thinking about if I was on this asteroid, and I jumped, would I fall off? It's been a while since I ...
2
votes
1answer
179 views

Connecting 4-velocity to equation for adding velocities

Is there a way to connect 4-velocity to equations for adding speeds? I know 4-velocity $U^\mu$ is derived like this: \begin{equation} \begin{split} P^\mu &= m U^\mu \Longrightarrow U^\mu = ...
1
vote
2answers
536 views

Difference between deltaV and specific impulse

When reading any literature regarding space propulsion, I keep getting about these terms deltaV and ISP or specific impulse. I know specific impulse is supposed to be the velocity the propellant mass ...
0
votes
2answers
403 views

Does an airplane's speed include the speed of the Earth?

After take off, does airplane's speed include Earth's movement/speed? Do airplanes turn with Earth movement/rotation?
4
votes
2answers
2k views

Flow of liquid among branches

If water is flowing through big pipe is branched into 4 branches of small pipe. Lets say the flow is around 4 m/sec. I have the following questions: What will be the flow rate in each of the ...
3
votes
2answers
167 views

Air velocity in a double-skin facade

I was wondering how the air flows in a double skin facade? Say I have a glass facade with a depth of 1m, a height of 200m and a width of 10m. It is a single vertical shaft all the way up with openings ...
2
votes
3answers
258 views

Train crash: are these situations alike?

I was just wondering... I believe that if a car travelling 50 miles per hour crashes into a wall, the result should be the same as crashing to another car also travelling 50 miles per hour (but in the ...
2
votes
0answers
155 views

If you make a steel rod from here to Alpha Centauri and move it, will the movement appear there instantly? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Is it possible for information to be transmitted faster than light? imagine this theoretical situation: You have make an extremely long piece of steel (or anything ...
1
vote
4answers
332 views

Light traveling through a medium

Does the frequency of light change when it travels across an interface between two media? What happens to the light wavelength and the light velocity at the interface? I've gotten different answers ...