- #1
aaj
- 12
- 0
I am not a physics student (my background is that of an engineer + MBA) but have read a lot about relativity and have built up a fair level of understanding.
I just thought up a situation regarding Lorentz contraction that has kind of confused my understanding of the same. Consider the following scenario:
A is an Earth based observer. B is an observer 10 LY away from the Earth and is at rest with respect to observer A. C is an observer situated on the line between A and B and is situated 5 LY from both A and B. In other words, C is located midway between A and B. C is also at rest with respect to A and B.
Hence in the above scenario, A measures B and C to be located a distances 10 LY and 5 LY respectively from himself.
Now suppose that for some reason C starts moving towards B with a velocity 0.866c. This means that the relative velocity between A and C is also 0.866c (in the opposite direction). Therefore, A would now measure the distance between himself and C to be only 2.5 LY (due to Lorentz contraction). However, A still measures the distance to B to be 10 LY.
The above would imply that A would now measure the distance between B and C to be 7.5 LY.
Is the above conclusion correct? It appeared very weird to me that despite C attaining a velocity in the direction of B, i.e. away from A, A still measures a decrease in the distance between himself and C and an increase in the distance between B and C.
I just thought up a situation regarding Lorentz contraction that has kind of confused my understanding of the same. Consider the following scenario:
A is an Earth based observer. B is an observer 10 LY away from the Earth and is at rest with respect to observer A. C is an observer situated on the line between A and B and is situated 5 LY from both A and B. In other words, C is located midway between A and B. C is also at rest with respect to A and B.
Hence in the above scenario, A measures B and C to be located a distances 10 LY and 5 LY respectively from himself.
Now suppose that for some reason C starts moving towards B with a velocity 0.866c. This means that the relative velocity between A and C is also 0.866c (in the opposite direction). Therefore, A would now measure the distance between himself and C to be only 2.5 LY (due to Lorentz contraction). However, A still measures the distance to B to be 10 LY.
The above would imply that A would now measure the distance between B and C to be 7.5 LY.
Is the above conclusion correct? It appeared very weird to me that despite C attaining a velocity in the direction of B, i.e. away from A, A still measures a decrease in the distance between himself and C and an increase in the distance between B and C.