IBPhysicsHLTopic QuestionsSpace, Time & MotionGalilean & Special Relativity

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First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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Galilean & Special Relativity (HL IB Physics)

Topic Questions

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1
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Which sentence correctly describes the parameters of Galilean Relativity?

  • Inertial reference frames in which Newton's laws of motion are the same

  • Inertial reference frames in which Newton's laws of motion are not the same

  • Non-inertial reference frames in which Newton's laws of motion are the same

  • Non-inertial reference frames in which Newton's laws of motion are not the same

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2
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A train is travelling through a station without stopping. The train travels at 0.5c. On the front of the train is a headlight shining a beam of light out in front of the train. A person standing on the station platform watches the train as it speeds through the station.

What speed does the person on the platform see the light from the headlight travelling at? 

  • 0.5c

  • c

  • 1.5c

  • 2c

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3
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Which equation shows the correct form of the Lorentz factor?

  • gamma space equals space fraction numerator 1 over denominator square root of 1 minus c squared over v squared end root end fraction

  • gamma space equals space fraction numerator 1 over denominator square root of 1 minus x squared over c squared end root end fraction

  • gamma space equals space fraction numerator 1 over denominator square root of 1 minus t squared over c squared end root end fraction

  • gamma space equals space fraction numerator 1 over denominator square root of 1 minus v squared over c squared end root end fraction

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4
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Cars A and B are driving on a motorway heading in the same direction. Car A is travelling at a constant velocity of 30 m s-1 and Car B is travelling at constant velocity of 40 m s-1, both relative to a farmer in a field observing the cars go by. Car B overtakes Car A in the next lane.

What speed is Car B traveling at from the reference frame of Car A?

  • −10 m s-1

  • 10 m s-1

  • 30 m s-1

  • 70 m s-1

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5
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Person A goes on a space mission, and their friend, Person B, remains on Earth. Person A arrives back to Earth, and for them 7 years have passed, but for Person B, 10 years have passed.

In this scenario, which is the correct description of proper time? 

  • The time interval of the trip as measured by Person A

  • The time interval of the trip as measured by Person B

  • The average of the time intervals measured by Person A and Person B

  • The difference between the time intervals measured by Person A and Person B

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1
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The starship Genesis is 1.85 km long as measured by its crew. The starship has a docking station in orbit around Jupiter. The docking station is 1.32 km in length.

The crew of the Genesis are discussing how fast the starship can travel. One of the crew members says that if the Genesis flew fast enough through the docking station, the length of the Genesis would contract so much that, to an observer on the docking station, the starship would appear to be the same length as the docking station.

At what speed would the starship Genesis have to travel for this to be the case?

  • 0.53c

  • 0.67c

  • 0.7c

  • 0.8c

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2
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Spacecrafts X & Y fly past one another as they pass by Earth traveling at speeds v and 2 v respectively, relative to each other. 

Spacecraft Y launches a probe from the rear end of the craft traveling at speed s relative to spacecraft Y.

spaceships-and-probe-ib-hl-physics

What is the speed of the probe from Spacecraft X's frame of reference?

  • u space equals space fraction numerator negative u apostrophe minus 2 v over denominator 1 minus fraction numerator u apostrophe v over denominator c squared end fraction end fraction

  • u space equals space fraction numerator u apostrophe plus 2 v over denominator 1 plus begin display style fraction numerator u apostrophe v over denominator c squared end fraction end style end fraction

  • u space equals space fraction numerator negative u apostrophe plus 2 v over denominator 1 plus fraction numerator u apostrophe v over denominator c squared end fraction end fraction

  • u space equals space fraction numerator u apostrophe minus 2 v over denominator 1 plus fraction numerator u apostrophe v over denominator c squared end fraction end fraction

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3
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The spacetime diagram shows the worldlines for objects A, B, C & D.

spacetime-gradients-ib-hl-physics

Which row correctly describes the motion of each object?

  V W X Y Z
A Accelerating Decelerating Higher constant speed Decelerating to zero Lower constant speed
B Decelerating Accelerating  Lower constant speed Accelerating from zero Higher constant speed
C Accelerating Accelerating Higher constant speed Decelerating to zero Lower constant speed
D Decelerating Decelerating Lower constant speed Accelerating from zero Higher constant speed

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4
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Some nuclear explosion tests are being carried out beyond the Earth's atmosphere, which are being observed by scientists on Earth. The crew of a passing spaceship travelling close to the speed of light also sees the explosions. From the reference frame of the scientists on Earth, the explosions occur 9×1010 m apart and the second explosion occurs 60 s after the first. From the moving reference frame of the spaceship, the explosions occur 8.2×109 m apart.

What is the time interval of the explosions from the reference frame of the crew on the spaceship?

  • 107 s

  • 124 s

  • 280 s

  • 401 s

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1
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Which of the following graphs correctly shows the Lorentz factor for objects travelling at different velocities?

pv-graph-options-ib-hl-physics

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2
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Persons A, B & C go to an ice skating rink. Person A sits at the side as an observer. Person B and person C are skating. 

ice-skating-ib-hl-physics

Person B skates away from the cafe at a constant speed of 10 m s−1. Person C skates toward the cafe at a constant speed of 8 m s−1. Persons B and C pass one another in front of Person A. 

What speed is Person C travelling at from Person B's reference frame? 

  • −18 m s−1

  • −2 m s−1

  • 2 m s−1

  • 18 m s−1

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3
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Twin A goes on a space exploration trip to the furthest reaches of the Solar System, leaving Twin B behind on Earth. The date of Twin A's departure is their 31st birthday. Twin A travels at a constant speed of 0.85c , as measured by Twin B, for the entire duration of the trip. 

When Twin A returns to Earth, Twin B is 47 years old. 

What is the age of Twin A when they return to Earth? 

  • 33 years old

  • 39 years old

  • 47 years old

  • 61 years old

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4
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On a space-time diagram, the units of time are metres. 

spacetime-diagram-ib-hl-physics

Event A occurred 10 seconds after event B.

Which value is equal to 1 second on the spacetime diagram?

  • 1 m

  • 10 m

  • 3 × 108 m

  • 3 × 109 m

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5
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Which postulate(s) of special relativity, if any, can be predicted by Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism?

  • The laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference

  • The speed of light in a vacuum is the same in all inertial reference frames

  • Both postulates

  • Neither postulate

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