Re: A Question of Simultaneity

[Michael Bowen <fizzbowen@MINDSPRING.COM>]

>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: Thomas McCarthy [mailto:tmccarthy@SPS.EDU]
>  Sent: Friday, January 25, 2002 12:29 PM
>  To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
>  Subject: A Question of Simultaneity
>
>
>  Hello,
>     If two flashes of light appear simultaneous and
>  consequently trigger
>  a response, how does the non-silultaneous nature as viewed
>  from another
>  frame explain the occur of the same response, yet the light
>  is not seen
>  to impinge upon the trigger at the same time?  Thanks.
>  Tom McCarthy

Quick answer: Events that are simultaneous in some inertial reference frame
but do not occur at the same location in that frame will not occur
simultaneously in other frames. However, if the events are simultaneous in
one frame AND occur at the same location in that frame, then they will be
simultaneous and occur at the same location in all frames.