Re: SR examination question

[Mark Sylvester <msylvest@XNET.IT>]

My difficulty is perhaps simpler. The question refers to what Peter
observes and asks what Jane observes. Both sound to me like descriptions of
a proper time interval, and I don't know in which reference frame to place
myself to answer the question. I often find this difficulty in basic SR
problems. Am I missing something, or is it that ambiguous questions are
common in this area?

Mark

At 07:07 17/05/01 -0500, brian whatcott wrote:
> At 12:27 5/17/01 +0200, you wrote:
> >Am I correct in thinking that the following simple question is inadequately
> >specified?
> >
> >Peter and Jane are each wearing a wristwatch with a second hand that takes
> >one minute to make one complete revolution and Peter is moving at a speed
> >of 0.9c with respect to Jane. When Peter observes the second hand on his
> >watch to have made one complete revolution, how many revolutions will Jane
> >observe the second hand of her watch to have made?
> >
> >Mark
> >
> >Mark Sylvester
> >UWCAd
> >Duino Trieste Italy
>
> What time is observed to elapse in a frame moving at 0.9c with respect to
> a frame where one minute elapses?
>
> According to Ronald Mallett UConn, at least, this is an indeterminate
> question,
> in that one of the observers might be circling the other slowly,
> and traveling backwards in time.
>
>
> brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>  Altus OK
>                 Eureka!

Mark Sylvester
UWCAd
Duino Trieste Italy