Final answer:
Driving to Alpha Centauri, which is 4.4 light-years away, is practically impossible with current technology. For a hypothetical spaceship traveling at 0.9c, it would take about 4.89 years from an Earth perspective for a one-way trip. Relativistic effects such as length contraction must be considered for accurate calculations from the astronaut's perspective.
Step-by-step explanation:
A light year is the distance light travels in one year and is used for measuring astronomical distances. Since Alpha Centauri is 4.4 light-years away, the time it would take to drive there would be theoretically immense and is not practically feasible with current technology. If we imagine a spaceship traveling at 0.9 times the speed of light (0.9c), according to physics, it would take about 4.89 years from the perspective of an Earth-bound observer for one way trip to Alpha Centauri.
However, due to relativistic effects such as length contraction, the distance as measured by the astronaut in a spaceship would be shorter than as measured by an Earth-bound observer. This distance contraction is given by the Lorentz factor (y), which depends on the relative velocity of the astronaut to the speed of light (c).
To calculate the contracted length (L) from the astronaut's perspective, and her velocity (u) in terms of c, you would use the known proper length (L0 = 4.300 light-years) and Lorentz factor (y) as provided in the problem. These calculations would involve advanced physics and are beyond what is typically covered in high school courses.