A rocket ship floating in empty space suddenly turns on its engines and begins to rapidly accelerate toward the earth. In the first second of the acceleration, what effect would you see in the wavelength of radio signals beamed from the spacecraft back toward the earth? a) The wavelength would suddenly become shorter because the ship is now moving toward us. b) The wavelength would be unaffected because the acceleration in the first second would not yet produce a significant velocity. c) The wavelength would be longer because the transmitter is in an accelerated frame and the equivalence principle states it would slow down like a clock in a gravitational field. d) The wavelength would be shorter because the transmitter is in an accelerated frame and the equivalence principle states that it would speed up like a clock coming toward us.

Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
5th Edition
ISBN:9781133104261
Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Chapter27: Wave Optics
Section: Chapter Questions
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A rocket ship floating in empty space suddenly turns on its engines and begins to rapidly accelerate toward the earth. In the first second of the acceleration, what effect would you see in the wavelength of radio signals beamed from the spacecraft back toward the earth?

a) The wavelength would suddenly become shorter because the ship is now moving toward us.

b) The wavelength would be unaffected because the acceleration in the first second would not yet produce a significant velocity.

c) The wavelength would be longer because the transmitter is in an accelerated frame and the equivalence principle states it would slow down like a clock in a gravitational field.

d) The wavelength would be shorter because the transmitter is in an accelerated frame and the equivalence principle states that it would speed up like a clock coming toward us.

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