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Paradoxes II: Instructor's Guide
Main Ideas
- Most “paradoxes” result from poorly-posed questions.
- All observers must agree!
- Special relativity changes our understanding of matter.
Students' Task
Estimated Time: 20 minutes, including wrap-up
- Warmup: Have the class as a whole discuss the first two paradoxes on the handout.
- Have each group select one of the next two paradoxes.
- Half the group should draw a spacetime diagram of what is observed from one reference frame; the other half from the other reference frame.
- Each group should reconcile their two diagrams.
- If time permits, repeat with one of the other paradoxes on the handout.
Prerequisite Knowledge
- basic understanding of spacetime diagrams
- the ability to calibrate spacetime diagrams using hyperbolas would be helpful
Props/Equipment
- Table top whiteboards and markers
Wrap-Up
- Compare the spacetime diagrams from different groups, and for different paradoxes.
- See also the discussion of spacetime diagrams for the pole and barn paradox, which can be found here.