2 ms·
Why is the left tower "in the past"? Because it "goes further away" from the train? What is "going further away" determined by? Position delta? So if position d
by quadcore 9y ago
Why is the left tower "in the past"? Because it "goes further away" from the train? What is "going further away" determined by? Position delta? So if position delta T->pA > position delta T->pB, time offset T->pA < time offset T->pB?
- red75prime 9y agoIt depends on what you mean when you say "left tower is in the past". Space-time intervals are defined for the pairs of events, which are points in space-time. Left tower is not an event. In the bridge plane of simultaneity both towers lighted at -100 units of time. In the train plane of simultaneity left tower lighted at -65, right one did at -150. The values are determined by the Lorentz transformation which includes speed of the observer. So "what's in the past" depends on the positions of the events, the times of the events, and the speed of the observer.
- quadcore 9y agoWow it's so cool. So I guess the left tower lighted is not an event of the past, it will just appears differently depending on the observation frame. So let me rephrase my initial question. Why is the left tower lighted before right tower is lighted when observed from the train frame? Because the train "goes further away" from the left tower? What is "going further away" determined by? Distance delta? So, is the following correct: let two events A and B occurring respectively at positions pA and PB in the same frame, a mobile at position pM, if delta_distance(pM, pA) > delta_distance(pM, pB), then follow that observed_time(A) < observed_time(B) assuming observed_time(A) == observed_time(B) in pA and pB frame? Please note, it's not delta_position but delta_distance I've written. Also, by delta, I mean difference. (edit: I get that "distance delta" is velocity)
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]