Question about photons traveling on same path

  • Context: Undergrad 
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SUMMARY

Photons traveling along the same path do not pass each other due to their invariant speed, c, regardless of the motion of their sources. Observers in different inertial frames will always measure the speed of light as c, even if they are moving relative to the source of the light. The discussion emphasizes that the speed of light remains constant across all reference frames, which is a fundamental principle of relativity. This leads to various implications, including the Lorentz transformations and the velocity addition formula.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the Principle of Relativity
  • Familiarity with the concept of inertial reference frames
  • Basic knowledge of Lorentz transformations
  • Awareness of the speed of light as a constant (c)
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the Lorentz transformations in detail
  • Learn about the implications of the speed of light being constant for all observers
  • Explore the velocity addition formula and its derivation
  • Investigate the Michelson-Morley experiment and its significance in relativity
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, educators, and anyone interested in understanding the principles of special relativity and the behavior of light in different reference frames.

  • #31
PAllen said:
There are no implications, because we can't tell anything except if we assume isotropy (for clock synchronization and in all our laws of physics), we get the simplest equations. Personally, I take this as a definiiton of physically meaningful isotropy. If our universe was observably anisotropic, that would mean that assuming isotropy leads to excess complications. Note, isotropy of two way light speed is measurable, so if you assume anisotropy it has to be of a very special type.
I understand your last sentence.
Einstein was complaining about the math complexity for general relativity. perhaps math simplicity can be a false prophet? I don't use math much and I feel more at ease with anisotropy than isotropy with regard to light speeds, as it seems closer to a pre-SR way of seeing. what really puzzles me is time dilation, mass increase and length contraction and what makes them real. maybe I'll look into it some time.

Anyway, I don't have enough time for physics. Thanks for everyones help.
 

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