- #71
David Lewis
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Then I don't understand how an object can get shorter.PeterDonis said:No. The shape of the molecules plays no role, since, as pointed out in post #55, we are talking about SR, not quantum mechanics.
Then I don't understand how an object can get shorter.PeterDonis said:No. The shape of the molecules plays no role, since, as pointed out in post #55, we are talking about SR, not quantum mechanics.
David Lewis said:Then I don't understand how an object can get shorter. View attachment 243696
David Lewis said:Then I don't understand how an object can get shorter.
David Lewis said:I don't understand how an object can get shorter.
The string in Bell's scenario doesn't get shorter, so the contracted binding EM fields have to span the same distances. Hence the tension. To avoid the complications of QM don't go down to the atomic level, but instead consider the contracting links of a chain that is forced to keep a constant length.David Lewis said:
Then I don't understand how an object can get shorter.
A.T. said:The string in Bell's scenario doesn't get shorter, so the contracted binding EM fields have to span the same distances. Hence the tension. To avoid the complications of QM don't go down to the atomic level, but instead consider the contracting links of a chain that is forced to keep a constant length.
pervect said:It's unclear to me how one rigorously deals with the quantum aspects, but this argument can go in another forum such as the quantum forum.
Bell's Spaceship Paradox is a thought experiment proposed by physicist John Stewart Bell in 1976. It involves two spaceships traveling at high speeds in opposite directions and measuring the length of a stationary object in between them. This paradox highlights the concept of length contraction in special relativity.
Length contraction is a phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory of special relativity. It states that objects in motion appear shorter along the direction of motion when observed from a stationary frame of reference. This effect is only noticeable at speeds close to the speed of light and is a consequence of the constant speed of light in all inertial frames.
In Bell's Spaceship Paradox, the two spaceships are moving at high speeds in opposite directions. When they measure the length of a stationary object in between them, they will both observe a shorter length due to length contraction. This is because each spaceship is moving at a high speed relative to the stationary object, causing it to appear shorter along the direction of motion.
No, length contraction does not violate the laws of physics. It is a well-established phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory of special relativity. This theory has been extensively tested and confirmed through various experiments, and length contraction has been observed in many real-world scenarios.
Length contraction is only noticeable at speeds close to the speed of light, which is much faster than anything we encounter in our everyday lives. However, it has been observed in particle accelerators, where particles are accelerated to very high speeds. Additionally, the Global Positioning System (GPS) takes into account the effects of length contraction in order to provide accurate location data.