I know I used to understand it, but it’s a while ago now and while yes, I can say that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant regardless of the motions of the source and observer, I’m not sure if that constitutes an explanation. Also, isn’t it that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant regardless of the motions of the source and observer only if they’re in the same frame of reference, where that means that they’re not accelerating at different rates. Something like that. I think this goes to show I need to swot up.
Jan 16, 2009, 02:25AM PST | 3 cheers | 5 comments
nothing to do with Einstein’s.
Relativity
Nov 02, 2007, 12:00PM PDT | 3 cheers | 1 comment
of the speed of light is another aspect of the special theory of relativity and one which is puzzling (at least to me — scientists are well over this now, thanks to Einstein).
Nonetheless it has been shown that the speed of light remains the same regardless of the relative motion between the source of the photons (light particles) and the observer (Brian Greene).
Oct 28, 2007, 05:48AM PDT | 2 cheers | 8 comments
according to the Wikipedia entry on spacetime Edgar Allan Poe was one of the first people to state that space and duration are one (in his essay Eureka).
This is the first known instance of suggesting space and time to be different perceptions of one thing. Poe arrived at this conclusion after approximately 90 pages of reasoning but employed no mathematics.
Oct 23, 2007, 11:13AM PDT | 1 comment
Galileo’s ship
Shut yourself up with some friend in the main cabin below decks on some large ship, and have with you there some flies, butterflies, and other small flying animals…
Oct 23, 2007, 10:54AM PDT | 2 cheers | 1 comment
of relativity: there is no such thing as “absolute” constant velocity motion; only comparisons have any physical meaning.
Oct 21, 2007, 02:23AM PDT | 1 cheer | 8 comments
theories involved in relativity, special and general.
Oct 20, 2007, 11:02AM PDT | 0 comments
Oct 20, 2007, 07:44AM PDT | 1 comment
