Two Spaceships Approach Each Other Along a Straight Line at a Constant

question 8

Short Answer

Two spaceships approach each other along a straight line at a constant relative velocity of
0.9880c as measured by the captain of one of the ships. An observer on Earth is able to
measure the speed of only one of the ships as 0.9000c. From the point of view of the
observer on Earth, what is the speed of the other ship in terms of the speed of light?

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Definitions:

Mouth

The location where a stream, river, or canyon ends, such as where a river enters the sea.

Cross-sectional Area

The area of an object or space as seen from a cut through the object, typically perpendicular to its longest dimension.

Volume

Volume is a measure of the amount of space that an object or substance occupies, commonly expressed in cubic units.

Maximum Sediment Grain Size

The largest diameter of individual grains in a sedimentary deposit, indicating the energy of the transporting medium.