Relativity Train

The Relativity Train is a realization of the famous Einstein thought experiments involving traveling trains carrying clocks and meter sticks. The demonstration is used to show how the preservation of the postulated constancy of physical laws and the speed of light in all inertial frames requires length contraction and time dilation in the train frame relative to the lab frame of reference. The demonstration is, of course, not a real experiment but rather a visual means of showing (without using any equations) how length contraction and time dilation are necessary consequences of Einstein's two assumptions.

For more references and info on our setup see
http://sciencedemonstrations.fas.harvard.edu/presentations/relativity-train

For more information on Prof Papaliolios see http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/05.13/18-mm.html