On 04/01/2010 07:28 PM, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax wrote: > Re: [Vo]:checking my understanding of Lorentz contraction > > At 02:04 PM 4/1/2010, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax wrote: > >> But there is a limit suggested by this, that the maximum flattening is >> by one-half.
This is false. There is no maximum. As an object's velocity approaches C its longitudinal size approaches zero, no matter how long it was to start with. The ratio is given by 1/gamma, where gamma = 1/sqrt(1 - (v/c)^2) As v->c, gamma->infinity. Contraction by 1/2 happens at around 0.87C, IIRC. > > That is, that the Lorentz contraction is limited to one-half of the > original length (in the direction of motion) as the velocity approaches c. > > I looked at Wikipedia. If you want to learn this, pick up a textbook. The internet resources available, Wiki included (and my website, for that matter), are really not so hot by comparison with just about any reasonably good textbook. Einstein's "Relativity", for example, is good, accessible, and very cheap -- maybe even free from Gutenberg; I'm not sure. > I found the explanation there very difficult to > follow, but the article on Lorentz contraction certainly contradicts my > analysis, and I'm looking at why. Not now. Other Stuff to Do. >
