Question

Inertial reference frame A and inertial reference frame B have x-axes that point in the same direction, and reference frame A moves relative to reference frame B at a constant velocity of 0.680 c in the +x-direction. These reference frames record the times and positions of the following two events.
A space transmitter is destroyed in a sudden explosion.
The on-board computer on a space satellite suddenly shuts down.
According to reference frame B, the computer shutdown occurred 7.51 x 104 m in the positive x direction relative to the transmitter explosion. Also according to reference frame B, the space computer shutdown occurred 1.16 x 10-4 s after the transmitter explosion.
(a) According to reference frame A, what is the time separation between the transmitter explosion and the computer shutdown? Which occurred earlier according to reference frame A, the explosion or the shutdown?
(b) Questions regarding causality.
(i) Scientists from Planet Alpha only have access to the data from reference frame A. One Planet Alpha scientist suggests that the transmitter explosion caused the computer shutdown. Is this a reasonable suggestion based on the data from reference frame A? Briefly explain.
(ii) Scientists from Planet Beta only have access to the data from reference frame B. One Planet Beta scientist suggests that the transmitter explosion caused the computer shutdown. Is this a reasonable suggestion based on the data from reference frame B? Briefly explain.

Answer 1