All Questions
188
questions
0
votes
2
answers
92
views
Beginner question special relativity: How many clocks does each observer use when measuring simultaneity?
I am reading a bit about special relativity and saw this picture in a book:
If I understand correctly, the author is using it to demonstrate that when we consider observer Alice at rest, she will ...
- 101
1
vote
3
answers
129
views
Exact meaning of Lorentz transformations [closed]
This is my first year in Physics and we have been shown about S.R very superficially, just having a bunch of equations to apply. However, I feel rather confused about results such as time dilation, ...
0
votes
2
answers
221
views
If a spaceship is heading towards the Earth at a relativistic velocity, is the distance between earth and the spaceship the same in both frames?
Recap: A spaceship is heading towards the earth at a relativistic velocity, if the earth in its frame of reference measures some distance between itself and the spaceship, would the spaceship in its ...
0
votes
2
answers
63
views
Does a person in relativistic circular orbit have the same age as a stationary person at the centre? [duplicate]
Consider a circular orbit whereby a spaceship travels around near the speed of light.
Say the radius of this orbit is such that the angular velocity is low.
An observer is placed at the center of the ...
- 89
0
votes
4
answers
184
views
Spaceships with relativistic instruments
I wonder if it is possible, for future spaceships, to have somekind of instruments on board, that will tell the pilot what his true speed through spacetime is and how much time dilation he is ...
- 107
0
votes
3
answers
499
views
Where in the universe does time pass fastest relative to time on earth?
It is my understanding that time essentially moves slower in higher gravitational fields relative to time on earth. Conversely, in lower gravitational fields, time passes faster relative to earth. Is ...
1
vote
2
answers
176
views
In spacetime what is the time $t$ on the $ct$ axis?
In spacetime, I understand that we multiply time by the speed of light to deal with homogeneous distances over the four axis, space and time.
But what does $t$ refers to precisely? Where is $t$ ...
- 113
0
votes
1
answer
74
views
Minkowski Diagrams and Synchronized Clocks [duplicate]
While using Minkowski diagrams for studying spacetime and time dilation, I came across a problem that seems like a paradox to me, but may actually just be from a lvl of understanding.
Imagining two ...
0
votes
3
answers
134
views
What two spacetime points would a rocket observer have to choose to find a length which agrees with a laboratory observer?
A cat is stationary in the laboratory frame, it's tail at $x = 0$ and its head at $x = 2$, so it's length is $l = 2$. A rocket (pink worldline) is moving to the left of the lab at one-third the speed ...
- 483
1
vote
2
answers
392
views
Intersections of light cones
I'm asked to draw the worldline of an observer that would see two events as simultaneous. My thought process was to draw the light cones of the two events and see where they intersect, then connect ...
- 860
0
votes
1
answer
111
views
At what constant speed should I travel one light-second to make my time and a stationary person's time 1 second off?
at what constant speed should I travel one light-second to make my time and a stationary person's time 1 second off?
- 579
4
votes
5
answers
1k
views
"Moving" clocks
In regard to relativity of simultaneity, why are clocks in the "moving" frame of reference unsynchronized (i.e., in the direction of motion, they run behind toward the front and ahead toward ...
user150908
1
vote
3
answers
381
views
What does length contraction actually mean? (special relativity)
I am little bit confused about the idea of length contraction based on my textbook which did not elaborate this topic much.
lets say there are two guys named A and B. A is at rest and B is in motion ...
- 598
7
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Why doesn't time contract?
I'm tutoring a Year 12 (high school) physics subject which requires me to understand special relativity, in particular, time dilation and length contraction. I have only studied 1 semester of 1st year ...
- 79
7
votes
6
answers
7k
views
If you travel on car with nearly the speed of light and turn on the car headlights: will it shine in gamma light instead of visible light?
If you travel on car with nearly the speed of light and turn on the car headlights: will it shine in gamma light instead of visible light?
- 768