- #1
P J Strydom
- 68
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- TL;DR Summary
- Accept what science say, or become one yourself.
I had this notion that it would be very easy to learn and understand Special Relativity, especially Time dilation.
Well, I was wrong.
I decided to hinder you guys with my negligible posts one final time, because I need to confirm that my Historical and Philosophical understanding is correct.
However, what about the Earth's speed around the sun or its equator? (A question asked by Einstein)
This is where I am in a bit of a grey area of understanding.
What does Lorentz's calculation show?
Is it possible to tell me in the fashion I did in the above setp by step analysis?
Well, I was wrong.
- First it will take the general history and philosophy of what Time Dilation is and how it works.
- Then it takes Mathematical calculations.
- In the end it takes a visual perception of incidences where one can visualise what is happening in different time frames.
- Well, I understand the history and philosophy of what Time dilation is. (although I would like to go through it step by step and get confirmatin that what I undrstand is 100% correct.
- I learned the formulas and calculations, even though there are a few steps which I do not understand why it is done this way, but this is purely to my poor mathematical capability. I am still continuing to play, memorise, and studying it hoping that in future I will know how the calculations works.
- The visual perception is not so difficuilt. If one keeps in mind that physics remain the same in all timeframes, it is understandable and I can grasp what it is.
I decided to hinder you guys with my negligible posts one final time, because I need to confirm that my Historical and Philosophical understanding is correct.
- Michelson and Morley devised the inferometer to determine if there is an Aether wind to allow light waves to "travel" in space.
- The device had a source of yellow light beamed to a splitter mirror which splits the light beam in a 90 degree angle to each other.
- one beam will be set up to "travel" in the direction of the anticipated aether wind arriving at the inferometer from space, the other beam will travel perpendicular to the first.
- We will call the first mentioned beam, "Horisontal", and the second "Vertical" to imagine their entry into the Aether wind.
- The Vetical light beam will travel a longer distance from the splitter "UP" and back "Down", than the horisontal beam traveling "To" and "Fro" from their respective reflector mirrors.
- The inferometer was set up on Mercury to enable it being swung 360 degrees with great acuracy not to distort the 2 light beams on its travlling path
- By looking at the light beams fringe when it arrived back to a point of observation, one will see an interferance when moving the inferometer around where the "Horisontal" beam and "Vertical" beam exchanges their position.
- If the one beam traveled a longer distance, it will now exchange its position and would travel a shorter distance, and vice versa.
However, what about the Earth's speed around the sun or its equator? (A question asked by Einstein)
- This made Einstein think about why if this inferometer traveled through space, and the Earth's speed at the equator, or even the Earth's speed through space around the Sun will not show any difference?
- He thought about this and eventually came to the conclusion that it does not matter where, how, or when you measure the speed of light, you will not find c slower than c. If you travel next to a light beam at half c, you will still measure the light beam at c, and not at half c as you would if you were overtaking a vehicle traveling at half your speed.
- Scientists uses a beautiful thought experiment to demonstrate the theory of SR. (I am not sure if this was one used by Einstein, I will go back to his book to freshen up)
- A train has a 'light clock where a light beam travels to the ceiling and back at one second.
- Another light clock is "Stationary" in relation to the Train traveling say, to the right of the stationary clock.
- If the train and the ground clock was stationary relative to each other, both will observe the light beams of the other moving up and down at the same rate.
- If the Train was in Motion relative to the stationary clock, the ground observer will see the train's clock move slower, due to the ceiling moving away from its original position, and as the ceiling bounces the light beam back to the floor, the reflector of the floor also moved "forward" from its original position. This will constitute a triangular path which is longer than the original .
- Therefore, for the ground observer the clock on the train moves slower due to the Light beam having to travel further in a triangular fashion. But the ground observer sees his clock is stil running as usual.
- Now, for the observer on the train, His clock will seem to be running as normal, but if he observes the ground clock, He will observe it to be running slow.
- The speed of light will always be measured at c.
- and because Distance = Time multiplied with Rate
- in this instance light did not travel faster but Time slowed down
- And if Time did not slow down, Length contracted, but C still remained at c.
This is where I am in a bit of a grey area of understanding.
What does Lorentz's calculation show?
Is it possible to tell me in the fashion I did in the above setp by step analysis?
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