Re: Variable speed of light (was: Relativity conundrum)

[Pentcho Valev <pvalev@BAS.BG>]

Michael Burns-Kaurin wrote:

> I find that the best solution to relativity conundrums is to apply the
> Lorentz transformations.
>
> Let the light enter the train at the origin in both reference frames.  The
> train moves in the +x direction according to the track frame.  The light
> moves across the track in the +y direction in the track frame.  The width
> of the train is w, same in both frames.
>
> In track frame, time of light leaving train is simply w/c.  Location of
> that event is x=0, y=w, t=w/c.
>
> Now plug those numbers into the Lorentz transformations to find the
> spacetime locations for the leaving-train event in the train frame.
>
> x' = gamma * (0 - v*t) = - gamma * v * w / c
> y' = w
> t' = gamma *(t - (v/c^2)x) = gamma * w/c

You obtain t' > t so your argument could be regarded as reductio ad absurdum.
If clocks on the train run slower, as textbooks say, then t' < t.

Pentcho