Calculus, 10th Edition (Anton)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 0-47064-772-8
ISBN 13: 978-0-47064-772-1

Chapter 1 - Limits and Continuity - 1.3 Limits At Infinity; End Behavior Of A Function - Exercises Set 1.3 - Page 80: 45

Answer

The classical theory would predict that the velocity of the particle, in the long run, would keep increasing forever (and never stop increasing). The special theory of relativity would predict that in the long run, as time approaches infinity, the velocity of the particle goes nearer and nearer to the speed of light (c), but will never cross it. Thus, for the classical theory: $\lim\limits_{t \to \infty} n(t) = \infty$ For the special theory of relativity, $\lim\limits_{t \to \infty} e(t) = c$, where $c$ is the speed of light.

Work Step by Step

We see from the graph that the function $e(t)$ has a horizontal asymptote $y = c$. This means that in the long run as time tends to $\infty$, the graph of $e(t)$ approaches $c$ but never crosses it. On the other hand, the graph of $n(t)$ never stops increasing. In the long run, as time tends to $\infty$, it keeps increasing on and on, and never stops. Thus, $\lim\limits_{t \to \infty} n(t) = \infty$
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