- #1
danR
- 352
- 4
I have sent approximately the following to a relativity prof at my university. It's summer, so I don't know if he'll read it, or be interested. So here it is for discussion.
Hello,
I wonder if you could tell me if the following experiment would have merit.
To measure actual relativistic contraction with physical rods is impractical. And we wish to parse out any Penrose-Terrell rotation, so we cannot use some kind of imaging. That would be appearance, and not measure.
We construct the classic pole-vaulter in a barn: the 'pole' is a 100 metre length of relativistic electrons. The 'barn' is a 10 metre measuring area. The two 'doors' at either end of our barn are two magnetic or electrostatic gates.
We send our pole (sans vaulter) into the area. At the correctly calculated time, determined by when the 100 metre pole should just fit the 10 metre barn, pulses are sent to the shutters from one source through two equal length cables. Detectors are positioned with each shutter to measure any electrons shunted off. According to theory, if the beam is going at the right velocity, the detectors do not detect any appreciable ends of the pole chopped off by the closed doors of the barn. Telling us that we have indeed placed the thing altogether in the barn.
The pole vaulter seems like a good gendankenexperiment, but I would like the satisfaction of an experimental realization.
Hello,
I wonder if you could tell me if the following experiment would have merit.
To measure actual relativistic contraction with physical rods is impractical. And we wish to parse out any Penrose-Terrell rotation, so we cannot use some kind of imaging. That would be appearance, and not measure.
We construct the classic pole-vaulter in a barn: the 'pole' is a 100 metre length of relativistic electrons. The 'barn' is a 10 metre measuring area. The two 'doors' at either end of our barn are two magnetic or electrostatic gates.
We send our pole (sans vaulter) into the area. At the correctly calculated time, determined by when the 100 metre pole should just fit the 10 metre barn, pulses are sent to the shutters from one source through two equal length cables. Detectors are positioned with each shutter to measure any electrons shunted off. According to theory, if the beam is going at the right velocity, the detectors do not detect any appreciable ends of the pole chopped off by the closed doors of the barn. Telling us that we have indeed placed the thing altogether in the barn.
The pole vaulter seems like a good gendankenexperiment, but I would like the satisfaction of an experimental realization.