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geistkiesel
- 540
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Doc Al said:"... caught on to Galilean relativity ..."
I just finished the first page of the URL at the motivation of my personal mentor, Doc Al.
http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/mod_tech/node134.html
The writer showed examples of adding velocities using non photon entities. In using the photon in order to show that postulates of the speed of light would be violated if the observer shines a light ahead of his frame moving at 3/4c and adding velocities as,
c + 3/4c = 7c/4
This surely would a bring a contradicition of the postulates of the constancy of the speed of light limited to a maximum of 4c/4.. But wait a minute. If A is moving to the right and B is moving to the left what is their relative velocity? It is,
v(A + B) = V(A) + v(B),
and yes, the velocities are added to determine their relative velocity, which is greater than either velocity alone. But the writer in our example says the light was shined ahead of the moving frame moving in the direction of the light flash. To find the realtive velocity of the frame and photon entities using a standard Galilean transformation we write the relative velocity as a subtraction, or as,
c - 3c/4 = c/4.
So we have no contradiction of a postulate of light regarding maximum speed allowed do we, or even of measurement of the speed of light? And boy it sure seems rational that the relative velocity of the photon and frame is their difference. Do you think the writer was trying to fool us?
I made a mistake above. The c + 3c/4 = 7c/4 doesnot vioate any postulate of lihjt. What we arediscussing here is the realtive velocity of frame and photons. An expanding velocity of 7c/4 is reasonable and rational.
Hey Doc Al, this Galilean stuff is great, thanks for turning me on. Now I can really begin to live!
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