- #36
Gamma Anon
- 11
- 4
To abbreviate some of the replies (somewhat excessively), Bob and Alice are not describing the same scenario, so the outcomes are different, thus problem solved.Orodruin said:Please reread all of the replies you have obtained. The scenario you are describing here is not the same scenario that Bob is describing.
If the scenarios are different, then it has to do with differences in the crate's launch conditions, but what those differences are has not been well explained (At least not well enough for me to have a good understanding of why these are two different scenarios)
Let's consider a more well defined launch scenario:
The assassins intend to launch the crate in a two step process, with each of the faces starting at an initial orientation, while stationary to the ground. The orientation is that one of the vertical faces is pointed due North, with the three other vertical faces pointed South, East and West respectively.
In the first step, the Assassins intend match the train's Northbound velocity, while traveling on a parallel track in a handcar, and line up the crate with the window. In the second step, they launch the crate Eastwards at ~0.577c (velocity relative to the handcar).
For an observer stationary to the ground, the crate will be traveling at ~0.70711c with motion at an azimuth angle of 45°
Why won't a line drawn between the South Western edge of the crate and North Eastern edge of the crate have an azimuth angle of 45°, according to an observer that is stationary to the ground, once the launch sequence is complete?
Also, would reversing the order of adding velocity to the crate change the outcome (Handcar Eastwards at 0.5c then crate launched Northwards at ~0.577c)?