--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Explain Muon experiment

Muon experiment: The experiment that demonstrates proves the prediction of time dilation by the special relativity. Muons, that are short-lived subatomic particles, are made with enormous energy in the upper environment by the interaction of energetic cosmic rays. The muons have a very short half life in their own reference frame, around 2.2 us. As they are travelling very near to c, though, time dilation effects must become significant. A naive computation would point out that, without special relativistic effects, the muons would travel on the average only around 700 m before decaying, never accomplishing the surface of the Earth. The observations reveal, though, that significant numbers of muons do reach the Earth. The elucidation is that muon is in a moving frame of reference, and therefore time is slowed down for the muons associative to the Earth, efficiently extending the half life of the muons associative to the Earth, permitting some of them to reach the surface.

   Related Questions in Physics

  • Q : Define Determinism principle

    Determinism principle: The principle that when one knows the state to an unlimited accuracy of a system at one point in time, one would be capable to predict the state of that system with unlimited accuracy at any other time, past or the future. For i

    		•
  • Q : Define Centrifugal pseudo force

    Centrifugal pseudo force: A pseudo force which takes place whenever one is moving in uniform circular motion. One feels a "force" directed outward from the center of the motion.

    		•
  • Q : Explain Maxwells equations and its

    Explain Maxwells equations and its four elegant equation? Maxwell's equations (J.C. Maxwell; 1864): The four elegant equations that explain classical electroma

    		•
  • Q : Describe Wien displacement law Wien

    Wien displacement law: For a blackbody, the product result of the wavelength corresponding to the maximum radiances and the thermodynamic temperature is constant, then the Wien displacement law constant. As an outcome, as the temperature increases, th

    		•
  • Q : When the intermolecular forces are

    Describe when the intermolecular forces are strongest? Briefly state it.

    		•
  • Q : What do you mean by the term density

    What do you mean by the term density? Briefly explain it.

    		•
  • Q : Biot-Savart law Biot-Savart law (J.B.

    Biot-Savart law (J.B. Biot, F. Savart) - The law which explains the contributions to the magnetic field by an electric current. This is analogous to the Coulomb's law. Mathematically: dB = (mu0 I)/(4 pi r2) dl cross e

    		•
  • Q : Define Singularity Singularity : The

    Singularity: The center of a black hole, where the curvature of space-time is maximal. At singularity, the gravitational tides deviate; no solid object can yet theoretically survive beating the singularity. Though singularities usually predict inconsi

    		•
  • Q : Explain the cause of Brownian motion

    Briefly define or explain the cause of Brownian motion?

    		•
  • Q : Explain Stern-Gerlach experiment

    Stern-Gerlach experiment (O. Stern, W. Gerlach; 1922): The experiment which explains the features of spin (that is intrinsic angular momentum) as a different entity apart from the orbital angular momentum.

    		•