Length Contraction Question (1 Viewer)

[JasonNg1025]

Heya

Could someone please explain the length contraction thought experiment? So the one in my textbook says that a light clock in a train operates horizontally, but yeh I don't get how that shows length contraction

Thanks

 

[addikaye03]

Heya

Could someone please explain the length contraction thought experiment? So the one in my textbook says that a light clock in a train operates horizontally, but yeh I don't get how that shows length contraction

Thanks

Thats makes sense doesn't it? With Length contraction,a body contracts in the direction of the motion relative to an observer whose within an inertial frame. If a light clock moves horizontally it would conract as such.

Im also curious to how you went in the HSC subjects that you've already sat. Were you like 15 when you sat MX2? Cos thats insane man lol

 

[JasonNg1025]

So if the light clock is moving horizontally, why does it contract?

The only idea I got is that the clock moves to meet the reflected beam, making it take a shorter amount of time, and since the speed of light is constant, length must contract to compensate.

But then, wouldn't the light beam take longer to hit the mirror because the mirror is moving away?