IB skill practice

Use relativistic velocity and energy relationships

Paper 1, Paper 2 5 marks Difficulty 4

Relativistic velocity addition same direction

In a particle accelerator timing run, a particle moves at \(0.57c\) inside a spacecraft moving at \(0.325c\) in the same direction. Calculate the particle speed in the lab frame as a fraction of \(c\). Read the diagram before calculating the requested value. Enter the numerical result and choose the interpretation that matches the physics meaning.

Worked practice: physics data and result

Read the physical quantities first, then calculate the result and state what it means.