Understanding Special Relativity – 4 VCE Physics – Study Design 2016-2021 Time 4 - Muons

A M One clock vs 2 clocks – the one clock has the smaller time interval. B

Muon’s carrying clocks? Clearly a muon does not “carry a clock” Use the decay time of a muon as a clock: More muons detected (= less muons decayed) – shorter time interval Less muons detected (= more muons decayed) – longer time interval Measure number of muons at height, measure number of muons at earth’s surface, this is “reading” the muon “clock” at these two events. We detect MORE muons than would be expected given the time measured in earth’s reference frame. Muons clock is “running slow” as SR predicts.