All Questions
17
questions
9
votes
5
answers
2k
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A bar that appears straight in one reference frame appears bent in another?
Is there a relativistic effect at play that explains the following thought experiment, that I am unaware of?
The apparatus depicted in the image has two straight bars in the middle emitting light from ...
- 93
2
votes
4
answers
110
views
A thought experiment regarding special relativity [duplicate]
I am currently delving into the intricacies of Einstein's theory of relativity and striving to grasp its fundamental essence and implications.
Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Here's my ...
- 23
0
votes
2
answers
256
views
Special relativity - what is the age of my twin after a one-way trip? [duplicate]
I have a twin who stays on Earth, and I will move to another planet 4 ly away. I will travel at a certain relativistic speed towards this planet.
What I just described here is the first half of the ...
- 11
-1
votes
1
answer
73
views
The train-and-platform VS Causality and Simultaneity
for long time I was ruminating on the train and platform experiment and “what if” extension of this experiment…
So, what if the light striking on either end triggers system (one on each end) with ...
- 19
3
votes
3
answers
144
views
Length contraction from a contracted frame of reference (thought experiment)
Consider the following situation:
You are moving with high speed on a road on earth and are looking at the night sky, in particular at two stars.
In the rest frame of earth, you and your eye are ...
- 31
0
votes
1
answer
72
views
Alternative thought experiment of Special relativity
The first picture setup is used a lot in explaining special relativity.
According to the reference frame of the red person in the left space craft, the light emmited from the light source will travel ...
- 101
5
votes
1
answer
132
views
Thought experiment and $E=mc^2$
Suppose we have an indestructible box that doesn't let through any matter or radiation or whatever. In the box, there is matter which is evenly distributed (state A). The energy content of the box ...
0
votes
3
answers
652
views
I just saw the Einstein's thought experiment about train
In the experiment, two lightning bolts strike at the same time and the stationary observer at the train sees the lightning simultaneously but the one in the middle of the train station would see at ...
- 817
0
votes
1
answer
133
views
Modification of Einstein's thought experiment; time dilation and simultaneity in moving frame
Einstein imagined a man in a moving train who observed lightning which were on the same side of the track and at some distance from each other.
But try to modify the experiment. Let us imagine two ...
user262060
0
votes
5
answers
972
views
Time dilation in a moving frame of reference
According to the theory of relativity, time slows down in a moving frame of reference. But I am confused in the example given below.
Suppose there are two men $A$ and $B$. $A$ is standing in moving ...
user262060
0
votes
1
answer
98
views
Do Events Conditional to Simultaneity Occur in Every Reference Frame?
Imagine a train with a table that contains a light on both ends (so that the line between the two sources of light is parallel with the line of motion of the train) and a light sensor in the perfect ...
- 181
1
vote
2
answers
440
views
Einstein's Simultaneous Lightning and the Lorentz Transformation
I am reading Einstein's book, "Relativity: the Special and General Theory" translated by Robert W. Lawson, and I have some questions concerning Special Relativity -- specifically, the ...
- 181
-1
votes
2
answers
869
views
Is the traditional explanation of why moving clocks run slow correct? [duplicate]
Like most people I struggle to get my head round special relativity. I read a superficially-plausible explanation for why a moving clock runs slow from the point of view of an observer in a rest frame ...
- 155
3
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Meaning and logic of Einstein's train thought experiment
This seems to be a recurrent topic but I wasn't able to find any satisfactory discussion about this tought experiment.
I will quote the original story from Einstein's and put my doubts inside:
Up ...
- 673
2
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Einstein's relativity of simultaneity train/embankment thought experiment
Einstein's thought experiment I'm referring to is this one:
http://www.bartleby.com/173/9.html
briefly: train/embankment experiment is where lightning strikes at either ends of the running train (...
- 121