- #1
freemind
Hello,
I've been pondering the implications of SR in media other than pure vacuum (yes, yes I know such a thing doesn't exist :). More specifically relating to the following thought experiment. If we have a prism of length [tex] L [/tex] in the path of a light source, with a wall @ the other end (the prism is btwn the source and the wall), and if the prism is stationary, then the light will take a certain amount of time [tex] t_s [/tex] to traverse the distance to the wall (relative to an external observer for whom the source and wall are stationary). Obviously, this time will depend on how much time the light spends inside the prism. Now consider the prism to be moving @ a speed [tex] v_0 [/tex] toward the wall. The time taken by the light to traverse the same distance shall be [tex] t_1 [/tex] (again, with respect to the aforementioned FoR). Now, my question is whether [tex] t_1 < t_0 [/tex] or if [tex] t_0 < t_1 [/tex]. I'm thinking [tex] t_1 > t_0 [/tex] because the light spends more time in the moving media, hence, the media is effectively "lengthened" because of its speed ("lengthened" only for [tex] v << c [/tex] of course; I'm well aware of prism length contraction @ relativistic speeds). Is my reasoning flawed?
Thanks
I've been pondering the implications of SR in media other than pure vacuum (yes, yes I know such a thing doesn't exist :). More specifically relating to the following thought experiment. If we have a prism of length [tex] L [/tex] in the path of a light source, with a wall @ the other end (the prism is btwn the source and the wall), and if the prism is stationary, then the light will take a certain amount of time [tex] t_s [/tex] to traverse the distance to the wall (relative to an external observer for whom the source and wall are stationary). Obviously, this time will depend on how much time the light spends inside the prism. Now consider the prism to be moving @ a speed [tex] v_0 [/tex] toward the wall. The time taken by the light to traverse the same distance shall be [tex] t_1 [/tex] (again, with respect to the aforementioned FoR). Now, my question is whether [tex] t_1 < t_0 [/tex] or if [tex] t_0 < t_1 [/tex]. I'm thinking [tex] t_1 > t_0 [/tex] because the light spends more time in the moving media, hence, the media is effectively "lengthened" because of its speed ("lengthened" only for [tex] v << c [/tex] of course; I'm well aware of prism length contraction @ relativistic speeds). Is my reasoning flawed?
Thanks