The solution at revision #20882 of , by Tete. This is not the current version.

Statement

14.2.12∗. A rod parallel to the floor falls to the floor at a speed . At what angle does this rod fall to the floor in a reference frame that is moving parallel to the floor at speed ?

Solution

Suppose the right endpoint of the rod is at , at time according to Observer on the floor and Observer moving to the right with the speed relative to the floor. According to Observer , who makes measurement of the rod at time , the left endpoint of the rod is at (due to length contraction) and to be determined, where is the length of the rod according to Observer and . Observer records this left-endpoint event at time

and hence at (and ), because the rod is moving downward with the speed . Since , Observer witnesses the rod making an angle

with the floor.

Answer