Isn't the light clock accelerating though? How can it be an inertial frame? I guess that's what I'm not understanding - between which two frames are we measuring the frequencies? I think what you're suggesting is to analyze the problem in the frame ##A## then transform to ##B##, but I don't see...
Is this not the right approach? I figured that since we are in the instantaneous rest frame, the light clock will be at rest when the light signal leaves the left mirror and thus are justified in using this kinematic equation.
So I don't choose a sign until I add it to the time it takes to...
Homework Statement
A light-clock (a photon traveling between two mirrors) has proper length l and moves longitudinally through an inertial frame with proper acceleration ##\alpha## (ignore any variation of a along the rod). By looking at the time it takes the photon to make one to-and-fro...
Okay, so I managed to derive it algebraically after seeing my error of not transforming the relative velocity. Do you have any hints for deriving it using the Minkowski diagram?
Okay, after some more careful thought and your insight I think I understand it a little better. I do want to try the geometrical construction at some point, but I would want to solve it algebraically first. Would I be solving the system ##l_2 \gamma(v'-v) = l_1 \gamma(v')## for ##v'##? I'm...
Homework Statement
I was re-reading my old Relativity book (by Rindler) and taking a look at some of the problems. He asks: Using a Minkowski diagram to establish the following result:
Given two rods of rest lengths ##l_1## and ##l_2 (l_2 < l_1)##, moving along a common line with relativity...