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A question about speed



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 16th 04, 02:11 PM
David Johnson
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Default A question about speed

How is it possible for the speed of light to be independent of the movement
of the observer as Special Relativity Theory claims it is, when the concept
and definition of speed is distance/time? If the distance changes then so
will the speed, by definition. How can it be any other way and the word
"speed" make any real sense?



  #2  
Old December 17th 04, 08:26 AM
Henry Spencer
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In article ,
David Johnson wrote:
How is it possible for the speed of light to be independent of the movement
of the observer as Special Relativity Theory claims it is, when the concept
and definition of speed is distance/time? If the distance changes then so
will the speed, by definition.


Not if the time changes as well. Which it does. Different observers will
disagree on both the distance the light covers and the time it takes to do
so, but the disagreements are not random -- they combine to show light
traveling at the same speed (in vacuum) regardless of observer.
--
"Think outside the box -- the box isn't our friend." | Henry Spencer
-- George Herbert |
  #3  
Old December 22nd 04, 03:25 AM
davon96720
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Off hand, consider the speed of light to be relative from it's point of
origin, not the observer.
davon96720

"David Johnson" wrote in message
. com...
How is it possible for the speed of light to be independent of the
movement
of the observer as Special Relativity Theory claims it is, when the
concept
and definition of speed is distance/time? If the distance changes then so
will the speed, by definition. How can it be any other way and the word
"speed" make any real sense?




 




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