Chapter 15, Problem 30A

To determine

Whether it is possible for a person to be biologically older than his or her parents.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Yes, it is possible for a person to be biologically older than his or her parents.Time dilation makes this possible.

Suppose that a woman gives birth to a baby boy or girl and then she takes off on space voyage with her husband at a speed of 0.80c to a star 20 light −year away. As per time dilation, to the babywho stays behind, the pace of parents life is slower than his or her baby by a factor of

  $\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}=\sqrt{1-\frac{{\left(0.80c\right)}^2}{c^2}=}0.60=60\%$ .