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Re: waves at the speed of light



On 11/12/2003 05:54 PM, Bob LaMontagne wrote:
> If I'm measuring the frequency of the photon, I'm staying at the same
> spatial position on your diagram and following a path parallel to
> the time axis. I don't see how I connect your diagonal line to my
> measurement.

Aren't the problem and the solution kinda obvious?

Nevermind photons, nevermind the speed of light. If
you're making observations at only one point, so that
every world line [except the world line of the observer
itself] is observed at most once, how do you even
*define* velocity? How can you assign a velocity to
*anything* [except for things with zero velocity].

Every definition of velocity I've ever seen has a
delta_x or a d(x) in the numerator. It's intrinsically
a two-point concept.

So use a plurality of observers and have them compare
notes. They will find that wavefunctions of the form
F(t, x) = f(omega t - k dot x)
are among the solutions to the Maxwell equation, and
that omega = c |k|.