- #1
DocZaius
- 365
- 11
I have been trying to study special relativity by looking through various websites and internet resources. Here and there I saw some vague references to the fact that there should be a distinction made by the student between signal latency and actual relativity.
I had always assumed that signal latency was the CAUSE of the relativity, but apparently they are two distinctly different concepts. Or maybe not...
So let me ask this question using a thought experiment:
Let us say that John emits a pulse of light just as Bob passes by him at half the speed of light. Let us say that there are a number of receptors along Bob's line of movement to both sides of John. These receptors trigger off a signal when the beam of light hits them. Now let us say that the pulse itself does move at the speed of light, but that for some magical reason, both Bob and John see the receptors being triggered by the pulse hitting them instantly
Would Bob and John still have different interpretations about the simultaneity of which receptors are triggered? I would think yes, but I am not 100% sure.
I had always assumed that signal latency was the CAUSE of the relativity, but apparently they are two distinctly different concepts. Or maybe not...
So let me ask this question using a thought experiment:
Let us say that John emits a pulse of light just as Bob passes by him at half the speed of light. Let us say that there are a number of receptors along Bob's line of movement to both sides of John. These receptors trigger off a signal when the beam of light hits them. Now let us say that the pulse itself does move at the speed of light, but that for some magical reason, both Bob and John see the receptors being triggered by the pulse hitting them instantly
Would Bob and John still have different interpretations about the simultaneity of which receptors are triggered? I would think yes, but I am not 100% sure.