2008/08/07 by Robert D. Klauber, Klauber, Robert D.
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Classical Physics (physics.class-ph) #Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies #FOS: Physical sciences #General Physics (physics.gen-ph) #Geophysics and Sensor Technology #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #physics.class-ph #physics.gen-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0808.1117
14 pages, 8 figures
arxiv created 2008/08/07 · openalex publication_date 2008/08/07 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Visual perception of Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction is known to be theoretically impossible, and this can be demonstrated pedagogically with the aid of simple spacetime diagrams of one spatial dimension. Such diagrams also demonstrate, simply and directly, that the apparent length of a moving meter stick changes as it passes by and can even look elongated. In addition, measurement of a moving meter stick with instruments, as opposed to visual perception, must be inherently ambiguous, as the length measured depends on clock synchronization, which is widely considered to be conventional. In fact, for some synchronization choices, a moving meter stick would be measured as greater than one meter. Thus, the well known Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction factor √ 1-v2/c2 would generally not be seen visually, and would only be measured in a system employing one particular (Einstein) synchronization convention.