1973•American Journal of PhysicsRequires access
Some Pitfalls in Special Relativity
An–Ti Chai
Open publisher page 1 citations
Abstract
The problem of observing a collision between two spaceships is utilized to illustrate the misuse of time dilation and length contraction, and the incorrect description of space-time coordinates in special relativity. By emphasizing the equivalence of all inertial frames, students can be guided to correct descriptions of space-time coordinates and to proper applications of time dilation and length contraction.