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Question

Describe what you would see if you stepped on a scale while traveling in your spaceship at a speed of 0.86c. Would your mass change with speed? How about your frame of reference? Contrast both these questions with what would be noticed by motionless observers? Explain your response.

Answer 1

HELLO!!! Rachey!!! Einstiens theory of reletivity!!!
http://www.astronomynotes.com/relativity/s2.htm
"Any object with mass moving near the speed of light would experience an increase in its mass. That mass would approach infinity as it reached light speed and would, therefore, require an infinite amount of energy to accelerate it to light speed."

(light does not have "resting" mass, so thats why it goes so fast)

as far as numeric results for 0.86c we need the mass amount BEFORE traveling at that fast, oh and the equation, but if its your homework then you should do the math yourself.

thats alot of stuff to answer, sorry I tried but its new years and I need to go catch the bus down to 6th street before it gets too craxy out here.

better luck next time.
heres the best I can do. try scoping out youtube for some vids on describing Einsteins theory of relativity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wteiuxyqtoM

Answer 2

"...if you stepped on a scale while traveling in your spaceship at a speed of 0.86c..."
Assuming that (1) you're ship isn't accelerating or deaccelerating and (2) there are no relatively nearby large gravitational sources the scale would show your weight as being zero or very close to it.

"...Would your mass change with speed?..."
In your reference frame your mass would remain unchanged from what it's always been. Don't confuse 'mass' with 'weight' They're not the same thing.

"...How about your frame of reference?..."
Basically you're 'reference frame' is your location and its characteristics. In this case your reference frame is a rocket moving at 0.86c. Your reference frame never changes.

"...Contrast both these questions with what would be noticed by motionless observers?..."
Here's where things get a little hairy. First, the mass :: science recognizes two kinds of mass -- invariant and relativistic. Invariant mass is essentially just how much stuff is crammed into a given volume. If the outside observer could somehow check your invariant mass they would see that it's unchanged because there's still as much stuff crammed into the same volume. However if they measured your relativistic mass that would be much greater because e = m*c^2 and because of your high velocity 'e' in the form of kinetic energy has increased.

Answer 3

as much as i would LOVE to answer that,
i can tell that this is a homework assighnment...
which means that YOU should know the answer.
also, I'm not going to do your homework
for you.

I'll tell you one thing though,
your MASS doesn't change
no matter what situation you are in,
or what planet you are on.

~Rachey