Jump to content

A thought experiment

Featured Replies

Assume O and O' are clocks are in relative motion in the standard configuration.

 

Assume the stationary frame is O.

 

According to SR, when the clock O elapses t, the clock in O' elapses t/γ, thus, when the clock in O elapses tγ, the clock in O elapses t.

That is simple time dilation.

 

By the measure at c logic of SR, if light is emitted when O and O' are co-located, light proceeds spherically from the origin of each.

This website shows this.

http://casa.colorado.edu/~ajsh/sr/paradox.html

 

Now, considering O', when its clock elapses r/c, light proceeds a distance r in all directions. This is the SR measure at c logic.

 

OK, now for the experiment, when the clocks O and O' are co-located, light is emitted at the co-location point by O'.

 

Only the positive x-axis will be considered.

Let r be a chosen distance.

 

1) Allow the time γr/c to elapse in O.

2) By SR, light proceeds a distance γr in O.

3) Since γr/c elapses in O, then r/c elapses on the clock of O'.

4) By SR logic, when r/c elapses in O', light proceeds r in all directions. Hence, the light is a distance r from O' along the positive x-axis.

5) When γr/c elapses in O, O' is located at a position vt or v(γr/c) in the coordinates of O.

6) But, since r/c elapsed in O', then light is a distance r from O'. Therefore, in O light is a distance vt + r/γ from O or v(γr/c) + r/γ = γr( v/c + 1/γ²)

 

 

Hence, gathering all the SR logic, when the clock of O elapses γr/c, light is located at

γr( v/c + 1/γ²) and γr which is a contradiction.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.