Understanding Relativistic Muon Decay and Time Dilation

In summary, the equation states that in order to calculate the total distance traveled by a particle in the rest frame, you need to first figure out the moving time, then divide by gamma to get the stationary period, and finally multiply by v to get the total distance traveled.
  • #1
Spurious J
6
0
Given the lifetime of a muon as 2.197 microseconds, and the rest mass of 105.65MeV, and a total particle energy of 10GeV, I need to calculate how far, in the rest frame, the particle will travel before decay.

Homework Equations


Beta=v/c
Gamma=1/sqrt(1-beta^2)
deltaT'=gamma*deltaT
L'=L/gammaAttempts/Understanding Thus Far

The equations aren't complicated but I can't quite make them mesh with my understanding. If deltaT' is the moving time, dividing it by gamma to get the stationary period will always yield a shorter time amount of time passing for the stationary period; isn't this the opposite of what I want?

And, in order to figure out the total distance traveled, as measured in the rest frame, is it enough to multiply v*t'=L', then multiply by gamma to get the rest frame distance? Do I need to convert the time as well? Or would this lead to too many factors of gamma?
 
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  • #2
deltaT is the proper time, the time that an event takes in the same reference frame where the event takes place. Here, deltaT would be 2.197 microseconds, since that's how long the muon thinks it lives.

After getting deltaT' and figuring out v, distance is just v*deltaT'. (In fact, distance is always v*deltaT' in any reference frame as long as v and deltaT' are both measured in said frame.)
 
  • #3
But if deltaT' is the time frame of the muon, I must divide it by gamma to get the amount of time it'll take in the Earth's reference frame, right?

But that'll yield a smaller number. So, the particle would seem to decay quicker, and thus it's clock would be running fast according to the earth, right? I haven't taken Relativity yet, this is for a nuclear physics class, so I'm just running off of my own research over the years. It seems like the equation makes the wrong clock slow down, and I can't see (though I'm sure I am wrong) where I'm wrong in my understanding.

If deltaT' is 2.19 microseconds, then deltaT is .003 microseconds (gamma=70.66); but shouldn't it be if deltaT' passes 2.19 microseconds at .9999c, then the other observer measures the same event as lasting 154 microseconds?
 

Related to Understanding Relativistic Muon Decay and Time Dilation

1. What is a relativistic muon lifetime?

A relativistic muon lifetime refers to the amount of time that a muon, a type of subatomic particle, exists before decaying into other particles. This lifetime is affected by the speed of the muon, as predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity.

2. How is the lifetime of a muon affected by its speed?

According to the theory of relativity, as the speed of a muon increases, its perceived lifetime from an outside observer will decrease. This is due to time dilation, where time appears to pass slower for objects moving at high speeds.

3. Why are muons used to study relativity?

Muons are used to study relativity because they are unstable particles with a relatively short lifetime (2.2 microseconds). This allows scientists to observe the effects of time dilation and confirm the predictions of relativity in a controlled experiment.

4. How is the lifetime of a muon measured?

The lifetime of a muon can be measured using a particle accelerator and a detector. The muons are accelerated to high speeds and then directed into a detector, which records the time it takes for the muon to decay into other particles. By repeating this process many times, scientists can calculate the average lifetime of muons.

5. What practical applications does the study of relativistic muon lifetimes have?

Studying relativistic muon lifetimes has many practical applications, including improving our understanding of particle physics and relativity, as well as helping to develop new technologies such as particle accelerators and medical imaging devices.

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