Re: So... Lerentz Contractions are *physical* not observered?


"Tom Roberts" <tjroberts137@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1Sjii.16683$2v1.8259@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
mgconsolidated@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Can anyone provide / point to a definitive answer on whether Lorentz
contractions are physical or an observered effect.

This depends on what you mean by those words.

Here's an analogy: a ladder will fit through a doorway if it is oriented
correctly, and won't fit if it is oriented differently -- is this
difference "physical"? -- after all neither the length of the ladder nor
the width of the doorway change in any way. This is an example of
GEOMETRICAL PROJECTION -- if the projection of the ladder's length onto
the doorway's width is small then it fits, and if that projection is
large then it won't; this depends on their relative orientation.

Instead of the ladder we have a circular metal plate with a diameter of Dp
and the door in the barn is also circular with a diameter of Db. Dp is lager
than Db. Now Dp is accelerated to a relativistic speed will it fit through
the smaller Db door???

Ken Seto



.

Relevant Pages