Speed of light from a flashlight on a bicycle, or on a train, or on any moving platform:
This discussion begins with a person holding a flashlight inside a train. Most people accept that the light from the
flashlight moves at the speed of light inside the train regardless of the speed or direction of the train. Then a person
rides a bicycle along side the train. The light is passed from the train passenger to the bicycle rider. The speed of the
flashlight and the speed of light from the flashlight didn't change. This example is in conflict with demonstrations that
show light from a flashlight isn't relative to the bicycle. However; this example is consistent with the theory of relativity
train experiment that shows the train and the earth are comparable relative moving frames of reference. The
conclusion from this scenario is: 1) If a person has a flashlight and they are riding on a moving platform, the light moves
from the flashlight at the same speed relative to the platform regardless of the speed of the platform. 2) If light from a
flashlight on a moving platform is relative to the platform, it must be additive across platforms. Both are consistent
with the theory of relativity. It says the speed of light is relative and it also says it is additive where it includes the
formula w=c-v. An experiment could be performed to address this situation. The bicycle rider or the train passenger
could shine the light toward an event timer. A second flashlight could be fixed on the earth. Both lights could be
shining on a shutter when it is released. A light race between the moving flashlight and the fixed flashlight would
happen. This race is called the Sprague light race.
Speed of light from a flashlight,original version.
Most people have seen demonstrations showing a person throwing a ball while standing and while riding a bicycle and
another demonstration of a flashlight on a standing bicycle and a moving bicycle. In the case of the ball, it's speed and
distance traveled in a specified time and is additive to the speed of the person. In the case of the flashlight, the speed
of light isn't shown to be additive. This is a case of the laws of physics being in conflict with the laws of the land.
Suppose the flashlight is on a bicycle inside a large room that is on a large ball. Suppose the large ball is called earth.
Suppose the bicycle inside the room is on the equator and is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. When the
speed of light is measured, it is a constant "c" relative to the flashlight on the bicycle inside the room on the equator of
the large ball called earth. The speed or direction of the rotation of the large ball (aka earth) doesn't change the speed
of light. The speed of light is additive to the speed of the flashlight relative to the center of the earth. If the bicycle
were really stationary in space, it would fly off the surface of the earth at a speed of over 1 million miles per hour.
Now suppose the room where the bicycle is fixed is on a train that is moving 1,000 MPH at the equator. Now suppose
there is another duplicate setup on another train moving the opposite direction. In both cases, the speed of light is
additive to the speed of the flashlight on the bicycle relative to the room and it doesn't change regardless of the speed
or direction of movement of the bicycle fixed inside a room on a moving train on a moving ball called earth. This is
analogous to the movement of the surface of the earth relative to the center of the earth and the movement of the
earth relative to the sun.
Now suppose the bicycles are taken off the trains and riders propel the bicycles in opposite directions on the equator of
the ball called earth that is rotating at a speed of 1,000 MPH relative to the center of the earth. The speed of light from
the flashlights remains constant and they remain additive to the speed of the earth as well as additive to the speed of
the bicycle speed which replace the speed of the train. Legal experts know this and scientists who testify in court
know this.
Relative to the center of the sun, the flashlight on the bicycles in any of the above situations are moving at about
67,000 MPH and that speed is additive to the speed of light from the flash lights.
Now suppose a police officer with radar is standing beside the track where the bicycles are located in the above
examples. Suppose other officers are in cars and on other moving platforms including riding the bicycles. Suppose the
officers use their radar to check the speed of the various bicycles. In each case, each officer accurately determines the
speed of all the other moving objects relative to the surface of the earth. The officer riding a bicycle going toward
another bicycle knows the speed of his or her bicycle is additive to the speed of the radar and the computers will
calculate the additive speeds of the moving radars to determine the speed of the various target vehicles. The military
does this extremely will when they have moving tanks shoot at other moving tanks.
All this simply shows that the speed of light is relative to the frame of reference. It is additive to a remote frame of
reference. The speed of light rides along with the moving frame of reference. The speed of light doesn't throttle the
speed of a moving object.
We know the earth is an object moving through space at some very high speed. A space craft could be moving at any
speed relative to our earth or sun and the speed of light inside that craft would be a constant "c" relative to the
moving craft. The craft could be moving 2c or any multiple of c and the speed of light inside the craft would be c.
Why do some people think 10 plus 10 equals 10?
Some people think a person walking 10 feet in 10 seconds on a moving platform that is also moving 10 feet in the
same 10 seconds has only moved 10 feet in 10 seconds instead of 20 feet in 10 seconds.
Let me make the picture perfectly clear.
The person walks at a rate of 10 feet in 10 seconds.
The person is walking on a platform that moves at the same rate of 10 feet in 10 seconds. .
10 feet in 10 seconds plus 10 feet in the same 10 seconds equals 20 feet in 10 seconds.
Some people think the person has only moved 10 feet because the person does not know the platform is moving.
Those people think the ground is supposed to be considered to be moving instead of the platform.
It is easy to understand why those people think the ground is considered to be moving instead of the platform. Those
people have been trained that the theory of relativity makes it clear that the ground is moving because the person on
the platform thinks the platform is not moving.
The speed of light is not constant but it's speed is also relative to the frame of reference. THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY IS
WRONG.
Well in my scenario the person who is walking on the moving platform knows the platform is moving because she made
the platform to be a moving platform. She also has tape measures and lasers and Global Positioning System devices
and cell phone locators on the ground, and on the platform, and she is holding the devices while she is walking on the
platform she made to be a moving platform. There can be no doubt in the mind of the woman while she is walking on
the moving platform that the platform is moving while she is walking. There is no doubt in her mind that she has
moved 20 feet in 10 seconds relative to the ground while she has moved only 10 feet on 10 seconds relative to the
platform.
Some people read this and missed the fact that the person who built the platform is a woman.
That shows that there is a difference between just reading and carefully reading and
comprehending.
Copyright 2008, 2009
All rights reserved.
Speed of light from a flashlight on a bicycle or on a train or on any moving platform |
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