3 ms·
I always heard the paradox as a light-year long tube filled with pingpong balls. Stick a ball in at one end, how long does it take the one at the other end to f
by noonespecial 15y ago
I always heard the paradox as a light-year long tube filled with pingpong balls. Stick a ball in at one end, how long does it take the one at the other end to fall out. From the other perspective (space) its often called the "ladder through the garage" paradox.
The answer, of course, is that simultaneity is observer relative as well.
What if you and I are at each end of this string, and I pull on it (or I have an incredibly powerful machine do it for me). How fast would you feel the pull?
I would feel the pull at the instant I saw the string get pulled by your machine with my giant telescope.
This ought to help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativity_of_simultaneity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativity_of_simultaneity
- rlpb 15y agoYour ping pong ball example sounds very much like the car in the garage problem which is explained well here: http://www.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/HPS_0410/chapters/Reciprocity/index.html http://www.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/HPS_0410/chapters/Rec... I suppose that's the same as the "ladder through the garage" paradox you mention?
- dspillett 15y agoI've heard a variant where the tube is curved such that the other end is also at your location, so no giant telescope is needed to see the end that inserts the new ball (or pulls the string) from the end where you are waiting for the action to have the consequence you are looking for. This adds the complication of you being both observers despite the effect needing to travel a huge distance, so one observer has two relativistic frames of reference.