Reply To: Physics – Relativity

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#790767
ZachKessin
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Well, if the stationary observer asks the moving observer how fast the light is moving, he will answer, at the speed of light. The stationary guy can then do the math and figure out that for himself the light heading toward the moving guy is going faster than the speed of light.

Let me explain this one a bit more. If I am on the earth and you are going by in a space ship at .50c, and I send you a message via light, we will both measure that the light moves at the speed of light, but the apparent distance that it travels, and the time it takes to do it will not appear the same. I will record a longer distance and time than you do, who is right? we both are. (yea this one is kind of hard to wrap your head around)

The thing to know is while the messured distance and time may change the metric x^2+x^2+z^2 – (ict)^2 will be the same. The first part of that is the Pythagorean theorem in 3 dimensions, while the 2nd part

is the relativistic part, the time times the speed of light, times the sqrt(-1), all squared. this quantity will stay constant for any 2 events in space time, regardless of the position of the observer.