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come back to the future. suppose that a father is 24 years older than his daughter. he wants to travel outward from earth for 1 years and then back to earth for another 1 year (both intervals as he measures them) such that he is then 24 y younger than his daughter. what constatn speed parameter β (relative to earth) is required for the trip?

User Yu Wei Liu
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Final answer:

The question involves the concept of time dilation and the twin paradox. The father wants to travel outward from Earth for 1 year and then back to Earth for another year, so that he is then 24 years younger than his daughter. The required constant speed parameter β can be determined using the time dilation formula and solving a quadratic equation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves the concept of time dilation, which is a consequence of special relativity. According to the twin paradox, a space traveler moving at a high velocity relative to the Earth would age less than their Earth-bound twin. In this scenario, the father wants to travel outward from Earth for 1 year and then back to Earth for another year, so that he is then 24 years younger than his daughter. To calculate the required constant speed parameter β (relative to Earth), we can use the time dilation formula:

Δt' = Δt / √(1 - β²)

Where:

  • Δt' is the proper time experienced by the moving observer (father)
  • Δt is the coordinate time experienced by the stationary observer (daughter)
  • β is the constant speed parameter relative to Earth

Using the given information, we can set up the equation:

1 / √(1 - β²) - 1 / √(1 - β²) = 24

Simplifying the equation leads to a quadratic equation, which can be solved to find the value of β. Once we find the value of β, we can determine the constant speed required for the trip.

User Stefan Scheller
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