Tom Roberts wrote:
In SR, time dilation is a consequence of the way geometrical projections
occur. This is no different from the fact that a 1 meter rod can fit
through a 0.5 meter wide doorway in some orientations but not in others
-- the projection of the rod's length onto the width of the doorway
depends on their relative orientation in space.
Tom Roberts tjroberts@lucent.com
Does the same analogy hold for length contraction as well? Why don't
you consider Problem 7 ("Seeing behind the stick"), p. 47 (solution on
p. 54), in
http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~phys16/Textbook/ch10.pdf
The mark an Einstein's zombie should see possesses a pawl which,
released by the back end of the stick, erects so that the stick remains
trapped between the pawl and the wall. Since the zombie sees the mark,
he sees the erect pawl as well. How long is the trapped stick? I hope
your analogy will help you to find the answer.
Pentcho Valev
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