Thought experiment; what happens if you alternate an image

In summary, when cycling between images of a person with a background and just the background, the "pic" would look like a distorted but unmoving blob.
  • #1
gonnis
7
0
like a person with a background and just the background really fast, like a strobe effect. If you cycle back and forth fast enough would the person appear like normal or 50% see through?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
With human eyes'lens or digital camera lens ?
 
  • #3
with a digital lens, but I mean how would the image appear on the actual screen? So you take pic of someone standing in room, then another pic of just the room, then using some editing software you cycle back and forth between pics really fast, say 500 cycles per sec (is that hertz?)... What would the "pic" look like (on the computer)when its cycling back and forth like that? thanks
 
  • #4
Your eyes are interesting. What you see is actually an interpolated image (your brain "fills in" missing data). If you were to move someone back and fourth very fast they would probably look like a distorted but unmoving blob. A belt sander that vibrates might be a good example.
 
  • #5
I predict the person would look "see through."
 
  • #6
I agree with Zooby. I think it would be possible to interpret either image as transparent, but since your brain is used to seeing people infront of background you would see a transparent person infront of a background. The background might look odd depending on the background to the image of the person.

You could probably mess this up with a careful choice of background image. For example if your background was a house and the person was photographed from much further away from a different angle, "a small transparent person floating in front of a house" might make your "instinctive" vision refer the scene to higher authority.
 
  • #7
zoobyshoe said:
I predict the person would look "see through."
This is what I think also, like a ghost image, I am going to try this on windows movie maker, but not sure if it let's you cycle images like that. But what if instead of a person against a background vs just the background you cycle between; 1) person against 1 background and 2) same person against another background. And If 500 cycles s-1 gives you a ghost images, wouldn't the ghost image become increasingly clearer as cycles go to infinity? So that you would be left with one person appearing as if in 2 places at the same time? I am trying to relate this to the idea of a particle being in two place at same time, which i find confusing.
If you start with a particle moving so fast that it appears to have multiple locations, then what if you were able to gradually slow time down, to the point where the particle starts looking like a ghost image, and then slowed down further where it is only seen at one location. Is a particles omniscience just caused by our perception, or is it actually really in two places at same time?
 

1. What is a thought experiment?

A thought experiment is a mental exercise that aims to explore a concept, theory, or hypothesis by imagining a hypothetical scenario and analyzing its implications.

2. How does alternating an image in a thought experiment work?

Alternating an image in a thought experiment involves mentally replacing an existing image with a different one and observing how it affects the scenario being imagined.

3. Can thought experiments be used to test scientific theories?

Yes, thought experiments can be used to test scientific theories by allowing scientists to explore the potential outcomes of their theories without having to conduct physical experiments.

4. Are there any limitations to using thought experiments in scientific research?

While thought experiments can be useful in generating new ideas and hypotheses, they are limited by the fact that they are based on hypothetical scenarios and do not involve real-world data or observations.

5. How do scientists use thought experiments in their work?

Scientists use thought experiments in various ways, including exploring the consequences of their theories, identifying potential flaws or gaps in their hypotheses, and developing new ideas for experiments to test their theories.

Similar threads

  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
841
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
2
Views
280
Replies
17
Views
2K
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
662
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
55
Views
1K
Replies
8
Views
1K
Replies
14
Views
486
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Quantum Interpretations and Foundations
3
Replies
96
Views
4K
Back
Top