Recent content by jtaravens

  1. J

    Calculate what distance the sunset moves

    thanks! I managed to figure out that it moves north but I'm glad you added the mid-june thing on top of the equinoxes. Now it makes sense! John
  2. J

    Calculate what distance the sunset moves

    Hi, The reason I'm asking this is because I am planting a shade tree and I want the location to be correct for both early spring and late summer. I am in Maryland (East Coast USA). The sun sets to the west. If I compare the location of the sunset in April to the sunset in September am...
  3. J

    Understanding the Relative Aging Equation for High Speeds: Explained Simply

    Ok, great! So to apply this to time travel, could one say that if I left Earth in year 2000 and traveled at 80% the speed of light away from Earth for 6 years (according to me) and then (ignoring decelerations and accelerations) traveling 6 years back (according to me), I would return to...
  4. J

    Understanding the Relative Aging Equation for High Speeds: Explained Simply

    Hello, I was searching online for an equation which would reveal the effects on aging as velocities approach light speed. I found this t = squareroot of (1-(v^2/c^2)) Pardon my math ignorance (I am not a physics student) but when I entered in a velocity of 80% the speed of light the...
  5. J

    How does relativity explain the different experiences of now for two observers?

    Thanks guys. I printed out some stuff on spacetime diagrams. I'll try to apply what I learn to my above stated problem. John
  6. J

    How does relativity explain the different experiences of now for two observers?

    Are you saying that the 150 year difference in "now" doesn't really happen? What do you mean by “nothing physical?” I'm still pretty confused. I was thinking along the lines of typical time dilation effects where motion is going to make people age differently - I assumed that the aging...
  7. J

    How does relativity explain the different experiences of now for two observers?

    Slicing the spacetime "loaf" I’m having a little trouble understanding an analogy in Greene’s “Fabric of the Cosmos.” I would be grateful for any attempts to explain this or to point me to some examples on the web. I’m reading about spacetime and the Greene equates spacetime with a loaf...
  8. J

    Pole and Barn paradox - close the doors for good

    Well that confuses me a bit - why would the barn's rest frame mean that the back door must close later than the front? While the runner is in the barn, couldn't the back door close before the front door? I believe my question wasn't so clear. (but no need for mathematics - I'm only a...
  9. J

    Pole and Barn paradox - close the doors for good

    As I was reading Fabric of the Cosmos, I got stumped at the relativity of simultaneity section. This led me to Google for some additional explanation. I stumbled upon http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/einsteinlight/jw/module4_pole_paradox.htm" which made me think of this question regarding the pole...
Back
Top