If light-speed is invariant,why RoS exist?

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In summary, the conversation discusses Einstein's thought experiment, which can be found in an article on relativity. The thought experiment poses the question of whether the observer inside a moving train would perceive the two lightning strikes outside the train to be simultaneous. This is due to the fact that light speed is invariant and would reach the observer at the same time regardless of the train's motion. However, Einstein's thought experiment shows that this is not the case and uses a space-time diagram to illustrate the discrepancy. The observer inside the train is not in the middle and would not perceive the strikes to be simultaneous.
  • #1
ash64449
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This is a question from Einstein's thought experiment.

This thought experiment is found in this article: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/einstein/works/1910s/relative/relativity.pdf

For those who know that thought experiment,i would like to ask a few questions.

To an observer outside two lightning striking the train are simultaneous.

Well,we know that light speed is invariant,it travels at the same speed regardless of whether the observer is moving or not.

Well,there is an observer in train.
Train is moving in uniform motion. Since rest and uniform motion are indistinguishable in his reference frame,he considers himself as at rest. lightning strikes are simultaneous in outside frame,we know that light travels at the same speed. So light from both the lightning strikes must reach the observer in train in the middle at the same time,because light speed is invariant regardless of the motion of the train. So Observer in the middle of the train must come to the conclusion that lightning strikes are simultaneous.

Yet Einstein's thought experiment says that this cannot happen. Why?
 
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  • #2
Draw a space-time diagram, from the stations point of view. The two light signals will meet at the midpoint in the station frame. The train will have moved since then, however, so that won't be the midpoint of the train.
 
  • #3
The observer in the train is moving toward the lightning strike ahead and moving away from the lightning strike behind. This observer is not in the middle.
 

1. What is light-speed invariance?

Light-speed invariance is the principle that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant regardless of the observer's frame of reference. This means that the speed of light is the same for all observers, regardless of their relative motion.

2. How does light-speed invariance relate to the existence of RoS?

According to Einstein's theory of special relativity, the constancy of the speed of light is a fundamental principle that leads to the existence of RoS (relativity of simultaneity). This means that the ordering of events can appear different to observers in different frames of reference.

3. Why is the existence of RoS important in the study of light-speed invariance?

The existence of RoS plays a crucial role in understanding the effects of light-speed invariance on the perception of time and space for observers in different frames of reference. It also helps to reconcile the apparent discrepancies between Newtonian and Einsteinian theories of motion.

4. Can RoS be observed in everyday life?

Yes, RoS can be observed in everyday life in situations where objects are moving at very high speeds, such as in particle accelerators. In these cases, the relative motion between the observer and the moving object can affect the perception of the timing of events.

5. Are there any implications of RoS for our understanding of the universe?

Yes, the existence of RoS has significant implications for our understanding of the universe, particularly in the realm of space and time. It helps to explain phenomena such as time dilation and length contraction, which have been observed in experiments and confirmed by numerous studies. It also plays a crucial role in understanding the concept of causality in the universe.

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