----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Baker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 4:32 PM Subject: Relativity, FTL and causality
> A while ago, Rob was puzzled by FTL leading to causality violations in > special relativity. I've just posted an article to my weblog that tries > to make this clear: > > http://www.theculture.org/rich/sharpblue/archives/000089.html > I liked your website Rich, but I have a quibble. You say: "The laws of physics look the same to all observers." I'd argue that it would be better to say "The laws of physics look the same to all observers in inertial reference frames." The clearest example of the laws of physics being different in an accelerating reference frame is trying to write laws of physics for a rotating coordinate system. One would not obtain the same set of equations of motion that one would obtain in a non-rotating reference system. This contrasts with linear velocity, where one cannot determine absolutely who is moving and who is still. With respect to angular rotation; one can tell who is spinning and who is still. I'm not insinuating that you don't know this, of course. My quibble is that your statement is open to misinterpretation. Dan M. This is the "Principle of Relativity" that lets us perform calculations relative to any inertial frame we like and be assured that we will get the same values for all physically meaningful quantities. This postulate holds in classical mechanics too. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
