Relativity - Online animation

Today, we were introduced the basic principle of relativity.
There are two basic concept behind the formula we learned to day, which are speed of light is constant, and the fastest speed you can get is speed of light.

Thus, we learned the time dilation and the length contraction of the object at a high velocity(perhaps half of the speed of light).

The equation of time dilation is 

Thus, we went online to understand more about the time dilation question

Answer q1: The distance travel by the moving light clock is greater than the distance travel by the stationary light clock

AnswerQ2: Since the speed of light is constant and the distance is longer, the time require the light pulse to travel must also be longer than the normal time.

Answer Q3: In you frame of reference, the light pulse does not travel a greater distance, thus the time require for the light to travel is the same time as the light travel in a stationary frame.

AnswerQ4: If the velocity of the light clock decreased, the difference of earth's timers and the light clock's timers also decreases

AnswerQ5: Since we know the loreantz facter (gamma) of 1.2, the time dilation of a moving clock with a lorentz factor of 1.2 will have a 1.2 times of the original time.

AnswerQ6: Since the measure time is 7.45 muS, we math the time in the simulator and found the lorentz factor is around1.12, which is what we expected on the paper


Later, we were introduced the concept of length contraction.

After understood the question, we moved to the online simulator to understand more about the length contraction

AnswerQ1: The round trip time depends on whether the clock is stationary or moving

Answer Q2: The round trip time will measured shorter than the time measured relative to the earth.

AnswerQ3:Yes. If we know the loreanzt factor and the time it required  for a movie clock for reach the distance, we can use the formula to calculate the time it require to reach the same distance relative to the stationary frame.
Answer Q4:If we know the Lorentz factor is 1.3, and we know the length is 1000m at rest, we can use the formula to calculate the contracted length , which is abount 1000/1.3  = 769m