Peggy is an astronaut and volunteers for the first manned mission to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Solar System. Her spacecraft will travel at 80%80% of the speed of light, and the trip there and back will take over 1010 years. Her twin sister Patty is an astronomer and will remain on Earth, studying Alpha Centauri using telescopes. When Peggy returns from her trip, how will their ages compare?

Question

Madilynn Maxwell

Physics

8 February, 08:28

Peggy is an astronaut and volunteers for the first manned mission to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Solar System. Her spacecraft will travel at 80%80% of the speed of light, and the trip there and back will take over 1010 years. Her twin sister Patty is an astronomer and will remain on Earth, studying Alpha Centauri using telescopes. When Peggy returns from her trip, how will their ages compare?

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Brandon Brennan · Answer 1

If Patty remains on Earth then at the time Peggy will come back from her trip, Peggy will be much younger than her sister Patty because of time-dilation.

Explanation:

Peggy and Patty are sisters. Peggy is an astronaut and Patty is an astronomer.

Peggy goes for mission to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Solar System at 80% of the speed of light, and will come back after 1010 years.

If Patty remains on Earth then at the time Peggy will come back from her trip, Peggy will be much younger than her sister Patty because of time dilation.

This is due to the fact that time moves slower in Alpha Centauri because of its massive gravitational force which bends space time. Moreover, It is known that Peggy's spacecraft moves at 80% of the speed of light, it will result in velocity time dilation since time moves slow if you travel at a speed near to the speed of light.