- #1
grandpa2390
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Homework Statement
A certain quasar recedes from the Earth with a speed of .87c. a jet of material is ejjected towards the Earth at .55c relative to the quasar. find speed of ejected material relative to the earth
Homework Equations
u = u'+v / 1 + u'v/c^2
The Attempt at a Solution
guessing. that if I draw both reference frames, v is the velocity that stays constant. in this case v=.87c. in one reference frame, the quasar is receding, and in the other the Earth is receding from the quasar. either way there is a .87c and I will call it v.
u is the velocity in the reference frame that it is given. .55c is the velocity of the ejected material in the quasar's reference frame. I want it in the Earth's reference frame though, so I call the known velocity in the quasar's reference frame u and the unknown velocity in the Earth's reference frame u'.
and as long as I keep my signs straight, this should work right?scratch that. the signs on u and v must be from the same reference frame.
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