Online Course Support | Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity

Let Bob have a spaceship with a clock at each end, both of which are synchronized in his frame of reference. Alice has an identical spaceship with a clock at each end, both of which are synchronized in her frame of reference. Her spaceship is docked at the local spaceport, with the front end pointed to the right (positive x direction). Meanwhile, Bob flies by in his ship at a speed V heading to the right (positive x direction). Alice observes Bob’s clocks as he flies by. What does she observe, according to her frame of reference (and lattice of synchronized clocks)? (Tip: Sometimes it helps to draw a picture to visualize what’s going on.)

 

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