Between two events
Exchange of light flashes between two inertial reference systems (IRS)
The emitter O sends two flashes of light toward a mirror O’.
The mirror O’ reflects the two flashes instantaneously towards the emitter O.
The parameter B is , where V is the relative velocity between the two IRS and c is the light speed in a vacuum. Notice that .
In the simulation, the light speed is set equal to 3 cm/s.
Simulation in the IRS of the emitter O
Simulation in the IRS of the mirror O'
Try and reflect on what you see.
How many events do you see in the simulation? Compile a list.
Focusing on the event "The mirror receives a light flash", how many events of this type do you see?
The emitter and the mirror do agree on this number?
Considering the positions at which the mirror receives two consecutive flashes of light, the emitter and the mirror do agree on the values of the abscissa of these two events?
Now, try to write the equations of motion of the mirror and those of the light flashes. Then, it is possible to derive the time interval between two subsequent light flashes received by the mirror in the two IRS.