IB skill practice

Apply special relativity time dilation and length contraction

Paper 1, Paper 2 5 marks Difficulty 4

Time dilation from proper time

A clock moving at \(0.46c\) in a particle accelerator timing run measures proper time \(3\,\mu\text{s}\). Calculate the time measured in the lab frame. 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.