Recent content by JM

George; I applaud your presentation. It is clear and it applies to the points I posed. I appreciate that. I note that there are two different meanings of 'Proper Time' used. The time of the green clock is called 'Proper time' even though this clock is not present at both of the events...

George; Of course, when the events occur at the position of a clock, it measures proper time for those events, according to the definitions stated earlier, and the clock doesn't have to be a proper clock. But post 103 identified two specific events, one occurring at x,ct = 0,0 and the other...

Hi, jeffkosmo, The principles involved here are clearer if a single light source flashes when the mid points of train and embankment coincide. The light postulate says the light goes at the same speed with respect to both train and embankment. From the view of the bank the light goes at c in...

Ah, but they do. Consider Einsteins watch, 1905,Part I,section1. In order to be useful a watch must be in synch with clocks at other locations. We synch with GMT in everyday life. So when the arrival of the train at the station (where Einstein is located) coincides with the hand of his watch...

George: In post 102 you agreed, I think, with the definition that 'proper time is the elapsed time between two events as measured by a clock that passes through both events.' Are you now saying that a clock that does not pass through both events is also measuring proper time? JM

George- Thanks, that clarifies the definitions. So, now consider: Given: Einsteins 1905 theory, and the Lorentz transforms. Two events, (y,z = 00, v/c =0.8) first occurs at x,ct = 0,0 and the second at x = 5, ct = 10. The LT shows that ct' = 10. Since this time applies to all clocks of K'...

George- What definition of proper time and proper clock are you using? Moore says 'the time between two events measured by any clock present at both events is called a proper time between those events.' According to Taylor and Wheeler 'the special clock that records the proper time directly has...

SR clocks George: I think that the literature of SR is not clear, as I gather you do. With respect to Einsteins 1905 SR, these ideas make sense to me: 1 All clocks are ideal, in that they step off time in equal steps, i.e. the interval between 'ticks' is the same as time moves ahead. 2...

Speed of Light Physics is an experimental science. Einstein postulated the constant light speed to improve agreement of theory with experiment. Experiments showed that light possessed interference, a property of waves. Ether was invented as the medium that carried light. So, many tests...

Clocks and Light You assert two identical clocks in relative motion. Einsteins Special Relativity also is based on identical clocks in relative motion. His transforms, and the formula, result from his Light Postulate, which states that the speed of light is independent of the motion of the...

Yes! I agree. I don't disagree with the other ideas, but I think that this idea is at the heart of his SR as presented in the 1905 paper. So, how do we use this idea for better understanding of his analysis? His definition of time seems to be expressed as ' the pointing of the hand on my watch...

George, I see where he says 'If we assume that the result proved for a polygon...'. In the preceeding paragraph he says ' It is at once apparent that this result still holds good if the clock moves from A to B in any polygonal line, ...'. But it isn't apparent to me, so by way of trying to...

Thank you all for your comments. I agree that the ideas you mentiioned are 'paradigm' worthy. 4-D space time and gravity are beyond me at the moment. I'm still grapling with the idea that the results of a physical experiment ( on the speed of light ) can be 'blamed' on the coordinates used to...

Very good comments PAllen, thank you. I was not aware of all this. There must be some literature on SR that I haven't seen, if that's possible. So help me out here, what lit do you recommend? JM

Thanks, DaleSpam. Can you give me a reference with the derivation for this? JM