DATA As a research scientist at a linear accelerator, you are studying an unstable particle. You measure its mean lifetime Δt as a function of the particle’s speed relative to your laboratory equipment. You record the speed of the particle u as a fraction of the
(a) Your team leader suggests that if you plot your data as (Δt)2 versus (1−u2/c2)−1 data points will be fit well by a straight line. Construct this graph and verify the team leader’s prediction. Use the best-fit straight line to your data to calculate the mean lifetime of the particle in its rest frame. (b) What is the speed of the particle relative to your lab equipment (expressed as (U/C) if the lifetime that you measure is four times its rest-frame lifetime?
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