[ExI] spaceship string theory

[Jef Allbright]

On Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 2:30 PM, Lee Corbin <lcorbin at rawbw.com> wrote:

> You're quite wrong, though I don't blame you for not understanding
> the rather awful (IMO)
> http://grenouille-bouillie.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-to-teach-special-relativity.html

Actually, I didn't read it.


>> It seems to me as simple as pointing out that the multiple spacecraft
>> and their strings form a single system within a single inertial frame of
>> reference.

And then I woke up this morning with "tidal" forces on my mind...


> True enough, and I commend your courage in going up against all
> those web references.

Gee, thanks Lee!  Thanks for not rubbing it in. ;-)


> It's also unsatisfying to be told the bald
> truth:

And you're being so understanding too.  ;-)


> when you draw the hyperbolas for constant acceleration
> on a space time diagram, and the new x'  (x prime)

Oh, is that what they mean by those apostrophe thingies?  ;-)


> axis
> (representing a line of simultaneity) is at an angle to the old one,
> the intervals along x' where the hyperbolas cross are more separated.
>
> But the only way to compute that for sure that I know about is
> to compute the spacetime interval along the new x' axis.
> (This spacetime interval is however---since that x' axis is a line
> of simultaneity for the spaceships once they've reached a
> constant velocity (which is easiest to think about)---at that
> point the same as distance so far as they're concerned).

I'm convinced.  Especially after reading the Japanese scientist's
paper referred by scerir to posts earlier in this thread.

- Jef