A Spaceship Visits Alpha Centauri and Returns to Earth

question 43

Short Answer

A spaceship visits Alpha Centauri and returns to Earth. Alpha Centauri is 4.5 light-years from Earth (our second closest star). The spaceship travels at one-half the speed of light for essentially all of its expedition.
(a) How long was the ship gone according to an observer on the Earth?
(b) How long was the ship gone according to an observer on the spaceship?

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Definitions:

Factory Overhead

Factory overhead refers to the indirect costs associated with manufacturing, excluding direct materials and direct labor.

Assembly Line

A manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner to create a finished product more efficiently.

Direct Labor

The wages paid to workers who are directly involved in the production of goods or the delivery of services.

Factory Supplies

Materials and items used in a factory that do not directly go into a finished product but are necessary for manufacturing processes.