1.

The most energetic proton ever detected in the cosmic rays coming to Earth from space had an astounding kinetic energy of 3.0xx10^(20)eV (enough energy to warm a teaspoon of water by a few degrees). Suppose that the proton travels along a diameter of the Milky Way galaxy (9.8xx10^(4)ly). Approximately how long does the proton take to travel that diameter as measured from the common reference frame of Earth and the Galaxy?

Answer»

Solution :Reasoning: We just saw that this ultrarelativistic PROTON is traveling at a speed barely less than C. By the definition of light-year, light takes 1 y to travel a distance of 1 ly, and solight should take `9.8xx10^(4)y` to travel `9.8xx10^(4)ly`, and this proton should take almost the same time. Thus, from our Earth-Milky WAY REFERENCE FRAME, the proton.s trip takes
`Delta = 9.8xx10^(4)y`.


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