IB · IB Physics

IB Physics: Galilean and special relativity — Practice Questions & Answers

36 practice questions available for this topic — here are 10 with full answers and explanations.

Start an interactive quiz on Galilean and special relativity →

Practice questions with answers

1 Multiple choice · Medium

Which is a postulate of Einstein's special theory of relativity?

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyOne postulate states the speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all inertial observers, independent of the motion of source or observer.
2 Multiple choice · Hard

A spaceship travels at $0.60c$. What is the Lorentz factor $\gamma$?

Tap an answer to check it.

Why$\gamma=\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-v^{2}/c^{2}}}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-0.36}}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{0.64}}=\frac{1}{0.80}=1.25$.
3 Multiple choice · Medium

In special relativity, a moving clock observed from a stationary frame is measured to:

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyTime dilation means $\Delta t=\gamma\Delta t_{0}$, so a moving clock is observed to run slow compared with the observer's own clock.
4 Fill in the blank · Medium

Under a Galilean transformation, the velocity of an object in a frame moving at speed $v$ is $u'=u-$ .

Answer: v

WhyThe Galilean velocity transformation subtracts the frame velocity: $u'=u-v$. (It fails at speeds near $c$.)
5 Multiple choice · Hard

A pendulum has a period of 3.0 s in its own rest frame. An observer moves at 0.80c relative to it. What period does the observer measure?

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyThe Lorentz factor at 0.80c is 1/sqrt(1 - 0.64) = 1/0.6 = 1.67, so the measured period is 3.0 x 1.67 = 5.0 s.
6 Multiple choice · Medium

The proper time interval between two events is the time measured

Tap an answer to check it.

Whyin the frame where the two events occur at the same place (the rest frame).
7 Fill in the blank · Medium

A moving clock runs compared with one at rest, an effect called time dilation.

Answer: slow / slower / slowly

WhyIt runs slow (slower).
8 Fill in the blank · Medium

The Lorentz factor gamma is always greater than or equal to .

Answer: 1 / one

WhyGamma is at least 1.
9 Multiple choice · Hard

Observer X sees a spacecraft moving at 0.50c in the positive x-direction. Observer Y sees the same spacecraft moving at 0.50c in the negative x-direction. What is the speed of Y in the frame of X?

Tap an answer to check it.

WhyRelativistic addition: (0.50c + 0.50c)/(1 + 0.50 times 0.50) = 1.0c/1.25 = 0.80c.
10 Multiple choice · Hard

Two spacecraft approach each other, each moving at 0.60c relative to Earth. What is the speed of one spacecraft relative to the other?

Tap an answer to check it.

Why(0.60c + 0.60c)/(1 + 0.60 times 0.60) = 1.20c/1.36 = 0.88c.

Ready to test yourself?

Practise Galilean and special relativity with instant marking and per-topic score tracking.

Start the Galilean and special relativity quiz →

Practise other IB Physics topics