The train in a tunnel paradox / ladder paradox visualized

Описание: Also known as the ladder paradox, the train in a tunnel paradox challenges one's understanding of length contraction in Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity. A long futuristic train goes through a shorter tunnel and is seen from the perspective of a trainspotter on the ground and from the perspective of a passenger on the train. The two accounts of what happens are wildly different, but they are consistent.

This video was born as an experiment of matching content to a soundtrack. I am also working on a relativistic video game that aims to make Special Relativity more intuitive and less paradoxical. I believe that human intuition can crack relativity if given a chance. You can follow me at https://relativisticgame.net and support me at   / relativisticgame  

#physics #space #time #relativity #paradox

=== Technical details ===

The train is simulated as a Born-rigid body. Each vertex in its 3x3 mesh follow a piece-wise hyperbolic trajectory.

The video shows the "measured reality" and not the "observed reality". So what you see is what an inertial observer would measure, rather than what an hypothetical camera would record. I think distortions due to the "Terrell effect" would obfuscate the relativistic physics and make it much more difficult to discern and understand. After all, even a classical camera would record image distortions if light was sufficiently slow.

=== Useful links ===

Game blog and formulas, https://relativisticgame.net
Ladder paradox, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladder_...
Born rigidity, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_ri...
Hyperbolic motion, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbo...)

=== Soundtrack ===

World on Fire by Andy Bird