- #61
joekahr
- 8
- 9
Sorry about that. I never tested on Android. Please try on a computer, iPhone or iPad.Ibix said:
SR equation seems to depend on orientation of the 'light clock'
- Context: High School
- Thread starter bwana
- Start date
Click For Summary
Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the implications of orientation in the 'light clock' thought experiment used in special relativity. Participants explore how different setups of the light clock can lead to varying interpretations and equations, raising questions about the nature of time measurement and the validity of different configurations.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
- Conceptual clarification
- Mathematical reasoning
Main Points Raised
- Some participants express confusion over how the orientation of the light clock affects the derived equations in special relativity, suggesting that different setups yield different results.
- One participant argues that an observer cannot measure the time for light to travel one way but can measure round-trip time, which leads to consistent ratios.
- Another participant emphasizes that a proper light clock requires the emitter and detector to be at the same spatial location, challenging the validity of examples that do not meet this criterion.
- It is noted that the perpendicular orientation of the light clock simplifies the analysis by avoiding complications from length contraction, while other orientations must account for it to maintain consistency.
- Some participants discuss the perception of time and speed in relation to the moving light clock, with one noting the intuitive struggle to reconcile everyday experiences with relativistic concepts.
- There is a debate about whether the emitter and detector must be in the same location, with some arguing that relativity implies no absolute placement, while others maintain that measurements must be made from a consistent frame of reference.
- One participant questions the assumption that the emitter and detector must be on the same worldline, suggesting that this is a limitation of the conventional understanding of time measurement in relativity.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants do not reach a consensus on the necessity of the emitter and detector being in the same location, with multiple competing views on the implications of orientation and measurement in the light clock scenario. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the validity of different configurations and their impact on the derived equations.
Contextual Notes
Some limitations in the discussion include unresolved assumptions about the nature of time measurement, the dependence on specific definitions of simultaneity, and the implications of length contraction in various orientations of the light clock.
- #62
joekahr
- 8
- 9
The OP's question was about the orientation of the mirrors of a light clock. I noticed that my app (https://joekahr.github.io/lightclock/) had a bug that made changing the orientation difficult. It's fixed now.
I also made the Center Clock default settings more intuitive: clock is moving in the Lab frame, clock is centered in the Rocket frame.
I also made the Center Clock default settings more intuitive: clock is moving in the Lab frame, clock is centered in the Rocket frame.
- #63
Grasshopper
Gold Member
- 210
- 115
That's so cool. Interesting that the light pulses always seem to intersect at the center. That surely indicates some sort of symmetry. Maybe that length contraction applies evenly across the direction of travel.
- #64
- 13,569
- 16,202
They must. You could build an arbitrarily small bomb trigger that would go off if illuminated by all four pulses at once and not if only three or fewer pulses illuminate it. If all four pulses reach the center simultaneously in one frame they must in all, because whether the bomb goes off or not can't be frame dependent.Grasshopper said:
- #65
- 1,100
- 1,387
Physicists are so dramatic — there's always got to be explosion of some sortIbix said:
What's wrong with a little electronic counter; I mean, it'd probably be cheaper...
- #66
- 7,342
- 2,866
Check out the videos of the "circular light clocks" linked from my earlier replyGrasshopper said:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...ation-of-the-light-clock.1003748/post-6506712
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