Special Relativity – How to Understand Relativistic Light Velocity

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I'm lay about relativity and I want to understand how does $c$ does not change between frames of reference.

Imagine a train of length $L_0$ at a relativistic speed and a light beam inside it. For an inside frame, the time taken for light to travel across the train would be $\Delta t_0 = \frac{L_0}{c}$.

Now imagine an outside still frame of reference. To him, both time and length should receive a Lorentz transformation, thus $\Delta t_R = \gamma \Delta t_0$ and $L_R = \frac{L_0}{\gamma}$. As velocity is $\frac{\Delta s}{\Delta t}$, the velocity to him would be

$$\frac{L_R}{\Delta t_R} = \frac{L_0}{\gamma^2 \Delta t_0} = \frac{c}{\gamma^2} \neq c$$

Where is the mistake?

Best Answer

You identified the mistake in your own question. You correctly stated "both time and length should receive a Lorentz transformation", but the mathematical operations that you performed were not a Lorentz transformation. Instead of doing the actual Lorentz transformation you simply multiplied or divided by the Lorentz factor. This is not a Lorentz transform.

The Lorentz transform is derived based on the postulate that the speed of light is invariant. So when used in its correct form you will always get $c$ being invariant. The Lorentz transform is given by:$$t'=\gamma \left(t-\frac{vx}{c^2}\right)$$$$x'=\gamma (x-vt)$$$$y'=y$$$$z'=z$$where$$\gamma=\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}}$$

The equation of a pulse of light going out from the origin in the primed frame is $$ c^2 t'^2= x'^2 + y'^2 + z'^2$$ This is a sphere whose radius is $ct'$, meaning that it expands at a speed of $c$. This equation is often called the light cone. By substituting the transformation equations into the light cone equation and simplifying we get $$ c^2 t^2= x^2 + y^2 + z^2$$which shows that the speed of light is the same in all reference frames.

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