- #1
tabarnard
- 13
- 0
Does length contraction apply only to objects, or to space as well?
On the one hand, sources like this seem to imply that it applies only to objects: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell's_spaceship_paradox
On the other hand, most people on this forum seem to believe it applies to space as well.
For instance, assume that star 1 and star 2 are 1 lightyear apart, at rest with respect to each other. If pass star 1 at .95 the speed of light, heading toward star 2, and measure the distance to star 2, will it be 1 lightyear (no length contraction) or 0.31 lightyears (length contraction)?
On the one hand, sources like this seem to imply that it applies only to objects: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell's_spaceship_paradox
On the other hand, most people on this forum seem to believe it applies to space as well.
For instance, assume that star 1 and star 2 are 1 lightyear apart, at rest with respect to each other. If pass star 1 at .95 the speed of light, heading toward star 2, and measure the distance to star 2, will it be 1 lightyear (no length contraction) or 0.31 lightyears (length contraction)?