- #1
Jeroen L
- 2
- 0
Hi all,
I just recently introduced myself to SR theory, and now I'm a bit stuck already (probably like most beginners)
Here's my problem:
Suppose that a photon is coming straight towards my font door, which is open.
But I close the door just a bit quicker than the photon can reach it.
However, in the frame of the photon, I seem to be having a time dilation, not to mention a distance contraction, according to an observer sitting on the photon. So I will close the door slower (actually not at all) and the distance to me is shorter (actually 0).
As I understand SR now, this would mean that the photon would go through the door if I close it just in time in my viewpoint.
The only solution seems to me that the photon is already having a personal time in which I have closed the door, when it is coming towards me. Is this incorrect?
And what if the photon is released by somebody with a flashlight, standing still with respect to me, before I close the door, but the photon reaches my front door when it is closed? Is the photon accelerated into the future, when it is emitted by the flashlight? Otherwise, according to SR, there is no way that I can stop the light from going through my front door, even if I close it before the light reaches my house.
I just recently introduced myself to SR theory, and now I'm a bit stuck already (probably like most beginners)
Here's my problem:
Suppose that a photon is coming straight towards my font door, which is open.
But I close the door just a bit quicker than the photon can reach it.
However, in the frame of the photon, I seem to be having a time dilation, not to mention a distance contraction, according to an observer sitting on the photon. So I will close the door slower (actually not at all) and the distance to me is shorter (actually 0).
As I understand SR now, this would mean that the photon would go through the door if I close it just in time in my viewpoint.
The only solution seems to me that the photon is already having a personal time in which I have closed the door, when it is coming towards me. Is this incorrect?
And what if the photon is released by somebody with a flashlight, standing still with respect to me, before I close the door, but the photon reaches my front door when it is closed? Is the photon accelerated into the future, when it is emitted by the flashlight? Otherwise, according to SR, there is no way that I can stop the light from going through my front door, even if I close it before the light reaches my house.