2006/04/03 by J. H. Field, Field, J. H. · 2 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Mathematical Theories and Applications #Classical mechanics #Contraction (grammar) #Corollary #FOS: Physical sciences #Four-force #Galilean #Galilean transformation #General Physics (physics.gen-ph) #History and Developments in Astronomy #Inertial frame of reference #Invariant (physics) #Length contraction #Mathematical physics #Mathematics #One-way speed of light #Physics #Pure mathematics #Quantum mechanics #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Rest (music) #Rest frame #Simultaneity #Spacetime #Special relativity #Test theories of special relativity #Theory of relativity #Twin paradox #physics.gen-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.physics/0604010
published in arXiv (Cornell University) (Cornell University) · 16 pages, 6 figures. v2 has 19 pages, changed title, abstract, references and added appendix. Important conceptual error in v1 is corrected. v3 Appendix and one equation corrected. Minor text addition. Conclusions unchanged
openalex publication_date 2006/04/03 · arxiv created 2008/11/06 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
It is demonstrated that the measured spatial separation of two objects, at rest in some inertial frame, is invariant under space-time transformations. This result holds in both Galilean and Special Relativity. A corollary is that there are no `length contraction' or associated 'relativity of simultaneity' effects in the latter theory. A thought experiment employing four unsynchronised clocks and a single measuring rod reveals that the physical basis of the time dilatation effect is a relative velocity transformation law, not `length contraction'. Time dilatation, which is universal and translation invariant for all synchronised clocks at rest in any inertial frame, is the unique space-time phenomenon discriminating Special from Galilean Relativity.