Recent content by ScottTracy

A phrase that brings a tear to my eye.

Yes, a slip of the tongue. I did mean both reference frames. I was actually picturing it as two actual observers on the train (one at each end) and two actual observers stood opposite them on the platform. Since I was picturing the train-frame observers at the ends of the train lining up...

Sorry for the terrible diagram

That's right jtbell. As I was imagining it, the two trigger contacts were directly under the flashlights (ie an infinitesimal distance below) and are side by side along the z axis (parallel with the railway sleepers/axles). The two triggering contacts on the track are displaced along the...

Thanks for the reply K^2. Can I ask what you mean by "in order for two events to be casually related, they must be time-like, or at least, null-separated". It's this kind of general statement that I wish I could understand better without having to resort to time-slice by time-slice examples as...

Hi all, I'm sure that things similar to this have been covered before. Also, I'm sure that a Minkowski diagram would probably clear things up no end but, anyway, please bear with me. Let's assume that we have our familiar railway carriage packed with observers who are satisfied that they...