A different question on relativity

roosh

Just another question pertaining to the light-clock thought experiment, as outlined in the video below:

The thought experiment says that Albert will see Henry's clock to be running slower, while Henry will see Albert's clock running slower i.e. the contractions are reciprocal for relatively moving inertial observers.


If we consider the thought experiment again, but this time we make a slight modification to Albert's surroundings; let's say that he is in a room on the platform, such that he can only see straight ahead of him; he is completely oblivious to the rest of his surroundings. He will still see Henry pass by him, traveling at an inertial speed, with the given relative velocity; and the contractions will be reciprocal.


Now, if we rewind the scenario a bit, before Henry passes Albert, traveling at an inertial speed, and go back to the origins of Henry's journey, where we find Henry's train at the train station. Let's say that the station isn't all that far from where Albert is located.

We see that Henry starts off his journey at rest relative to another observer, on a different platform, let's call her Evelyn; incidentally, Evelyn is also at rest relative to Albert; meaning that Henry, too, is at rest relative to Albert before he starts his journey.

Now, Henry undergoes acceleration, meaning that there is asymmetry between his reference frame and Evelyn's; which presumably means that they will not observe reciprocal contractions - will they both agree that it is Henry's clock that ticks slower?

Henry's train then accelerates before leveling out at an inertial speed, when he passes Albert. Will the contractions still be reciprocal?

Morbert

roosh wrote: »

Just another question pertaining to the light-clock thought experiment, as outlined in the video below:

The thought experiment says that Albert will see Henry's clock to be running slower, while Henry will see Albert's clock running slower i.e. the contractions are reciprocal for relatively moving inertial observers.


If we consider the thought experiment again, but this time we make a slight modification to Albert's surroundings; let's say that he is in a room on the platform, such that he can only see straight ahead of him; he is completely oblivious to the rest of his surroundings. He will still see Henry pass by him, traveling at an inertial speed, with the given relative velocity; and the contractions will be reciprocal.


Now, if we rewind the scenario a bit, before Henry passes Albert, traveling at an inertial speed, and go back to the origins of Henry's journey, where we find Henry's train at the train station. Let's say that the station isn't all that far from where Albert is located.

We see that Henry starts off his journey at rest relative to another observer, on a different platform, let's call her Evelyn; incidentally, Evelyn is also at rest relative to Albert; meaning that Henry, too, is at rest relative to Albert before he starts his journey.

Now, Henry undergoes acceleration, meaning that there is asymmetry between his reference frame and Evelyn's; which presumably means that they will not observe reciprocal contractions - will they both agree that it is Henry's clock that ticks slower?

Henry's train then accelerates before leveling out at an inertial speed, when he passes Albert. Will the contractions still be reciprocal?

Yes.