Paradoxes of relativity

The rockets of the Goths and the Huns are each 1000 m 1000\text{ m} long in their respective rest frame. The rockets pass each other, virtually touching, at relative speed of 0.8 c 0.8\text{ c} . The Huns have a laser cannon at the rear of their rocket that shoots a deadly laser beam at right angles to the motion. The captain of the Hun rocket wants to send a threatening message to the Goths by “firing a shot across their bow.” He tells his first mate, “The Goths rocket is length contracted to 600 m 600\text{ m} . Fire the laser cannon at the instant the nose of our rocket passes the tail of their rocket. The laser beam will cross 400 m 400 \text{ m} in front of them.” But things are different from the Goths’ perspective. The Goth captain muses, “The Huns’ rocket is length contracted to 600 m , 400 m 600 \text{ m}, 400 \text{ m} shorter than our rocket. If they fire the laser cannon as their nose passes the tail of our rocket, the lethal laser blast will go right through our side.” The first mate on the Hun rocket fires as ordered. Does the laser beam blast the Goths or not? Resolve this paradox.

Note: Assume that the Huns first compute the exact time when the nose of the Hun's rocket will meet with the tail of the Goth's rocket, and this information is relayed to the rear of the Hun's rocket before the Goth's rocket arrives. The exact time is known ahead of time.

Yes No Yes and no None of the above

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1 solution

We notice that this involves special relativity.

So why is the answer "No"?

Pi Han Goh - 4 years, 4 months ago

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It doesn't matter what the answer is. Special relativity is totally nonsensical, so any application of it is meaningless and contradictory.

James Wilson - 3 years, 7 months ago

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Unless perhaps interpreted differently than its current formulation...

James Wilson - 3 years, 7 months ago

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