If the rod is moving, \(V\) is greater than zero and the factor \(\sqrt{1-V^2/c^2}\) is less than 1. So the length \(L\) of the moving rod is less than the length \(L_{\mathrm{rest}}\) of the rod at rest. In other words, a moving object is shortened along the direction in which it is moving. This is called length contraction.