Relativity & Photons: Exploring the Paradox

In summary, the concept of relativity becomes complicated when discussing the movement of photons. While from our point of view, it takes approximately 8 minutes for a photon to reach Earth from the surface of the sun, according to the Lorentz equation, the photon has no distance to travel and the Earth simply "gets there" in the photon's point of view. However, this contradicts the assumption that both frames are inertial, leading to invalid results. Furthermore, the idea of a rest frame for a photon is not applicable and can lead to false conclusions.
  • #1
SovereignX
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0
Hi! First sorry my little bad english :-)
My question is... A photon leaves the surface of the sun. It needs approx 8 mins to reach the Earth. Or we can say - in the notion of relativity - that the Earth needs 8 mins to reach the photon. BUT! Photons moving at c. And if we solve the Lorentz equation we get that in the viewpoint of photons there is no distance between two points in space. So the pov of photon the Earth just... get there with no time. But in our point of view... Besically we can say the photon IS moving toward us and we DONT move toward the photon. So...where is the relativity of moving? :-)
 
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  • #2
There is no inertial reference frame in which the photon is at rest. As such, the photon has no rest frame.
 
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The light signal has no "point of view"; the speed of light is equal to ##c## in all inertial frames and therefore there is no inertial frame in which a light signal is at rest. The derivation of the Lorentz transforms starts with the assumption that both frames are inertial and therefore the transforms cannot be applied in this situation; if you try it, you'll just end up with garbage-in-garbage-out bogus results.

There is a FAQ on this topic: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/rest-frame-of-a-photon.511170/

(You may also notice that I'm saying "light signal" instead of "photon". A photon isn't what you think it is; this doesn't matter here, but in some other thought experiments it will).
 
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1. What is relativity?

Relativity is a theory proposed by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century that explains how the laws of physics are the same for all observers, regardless of their relative motion. It also includes the famous equation E=mc^2, which explains the relationship between mass and energy.

2. What is the paradox of relativity and photons?

The paradox of relativity and photons refers to the fact that according to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is constant for all observers. However, this conflicts with the classical understanding of motion, which suggests that the speed of an object is relative to the observer's frame of reference.

3. How does relativity relate to the concept of time dilation?

Relativity states that time is relative to the observer's frame of reference and can be affected by factors such as gravity and velocity. This means that time can appear to move slower or faster for different observers depending on their relative motion. This phenomenon is known as time dilation.

4. What is the role of photons in relativity?

Photons are particles of light that play a crucial role in understanding the paradox of relativity. According to Einstein's theory, photons always travel at the speed of light, regardless of the observer's frame of reference. This concept challenges our classical understanding of motion and has led to many important discoveries in physics.

5. How has the theory of relativity impacted our understanding of the universe?

The theory of relativity has had a significant impact on our understanding of the universe. It has helped us understand the relationship between space, time, and gravity, and has led to important discoveries such as black holes, the expansion of the universe, and the concept of the fabric of space-time. It has also revolutionized our understanding of energy and has paved the way for modern technologies such as GPS systems.

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