Team Number: 056
School Name: Sandia Prep
Area of Science: Physics
Project Title: Moving Objects
Problem Definition:
The purpose of this project is to determine the changes the basic properties
of an object moving at velocities near the speed of light. The basic
properties, which are being calculated in this project, are changes in mass
with speed and acceleration, and changes in real time compared with the tick
of a clock. The movement of the observed object relative to two points, and
how it is observed from those points will be calculated.
Problem solution:
The solution to this problem is based primarily on the General and Special
theories of relativity, and Newtonian mechanics. The algorithms for changes
in mass and time, with relation to speed are based upon Einstein’s
calculations in the Special and General theories of Relativity. Algorithms
for observing a moving object are also to be derived from relativity. The
calculation of acceleration is based on Newton’s laws of acceleration. The
sequencing of the calculations is a vital detail to be handled in this
program due to the properties of the variables being directly related. We
will use C++ to write this program.
Progress to date:
At this point in the progress of our program the basic algorithms for the
calculations of time, mass and, and acceleration have been developed. The
functions, which handle these three variables, have been written. The basic
structure of the order of running these functions has also been developed.
We have also developed the algorithm for observing the moving object from
two stationary points.
Remaining work:
We still need to develop the algorithm for calculating the moment of an
object from two non-linear points. A more accurate calculation of the mass,
and acceleration also still needs to be developed. In writing the early
stages of our code we realized that the method we initially used has a large
degree of error due to the changes of mass due to acceleration.
Bibliography:
1) http://physics.nmt.edu/~raymond/classes/ph13xbook/
2) Einstein, Albert. Relativity. New York: Three Rivers Press,1961.
3) Feynman, Richard. Six easy pieces. Cambridge: Perseus Books, 1995.
Team Members
Sponsoring Teacher(s)
Project Mentor(s)