A Spaceship from Another Galaxy Passes Over the Solar System $\gamma$

question 16

Multiple Choice

A spaceship from another galaxy passes over the solar system directly above a radial line from the sun to the Earth. (We measure that distance to be 1.5 *1011 m.) On Earth, the spaceship is observed to be travelling at a speed of 0.80 c, for which $\gamma$ = 5/3. As measured on Earth it takes the spaceship 625 seconds to travel from the sun to Earth. When a scientist in the spaceship measures the Earth-sun distance and the time it takes her to travel that distance, she finds the results are respectively:

• A)9.0* 1010 m; 375 s.
• B)9.0 *1010 m; 625 s.
• C)1.5 * 1011 m; 625 s.
• D)2.5 * 1011 m; 625 s.
• E)2.5 * 1011 m; 1042 s.

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Definitions:

Basilar Membrane

A structure in the cochlea of the inner ear, crucial for transforming sound vibrations into neural signals.

Hair Cells

Hair cells are sensory receptors located in the inner ear that detect sound and head motion to convert vibrations into electrical signals for hearing and balance.

High-Amplitude Sounds

Sounds that carry a greater intensity or volume, often leading to a greater impact on the listener's ears and potentially causing harm.

Cochlea

A spiral-shaped cavity in the inner ear containing the organ of Corti, which produces nerve impulses in response to sound vibrations.