A train is travelling towards a tunnel at relativistic velocity. The tunnel has two gates on either side that open/close to admit/reject the train. The train is the same length as the tunnel when it at rest in the tunnel's frame of reference. In the tunnel frame, the train is moving so it is contracted and can fully fit inside the tunnel. Thus, the gates are initially closed, open right before the train enters, close while the train is completely inside the tunnel, open right before the train leaves and closes right after the train has completely left. How would you describe this sequence of events in the frame of reference of the train?

Claire Calderon

Claire Calderon

Open question

2022-08-20

A train is travelling towards a tunnel at relativistic velocity. The tunnel has two gates on either side that open/close to admit/reject the train. The train is the same length as the tunnel when it at rest in the tunnel's frame of reference. In the tunnel frame, the train is moving so it is contracted and can fully fit inside the tunnel. Thus, the gates are initially closed, open right before the train enters, close while the train is completely inside the tunnel, open right before the train leaves and closes right after the train has completely left.
How would you describe this sequence of events in the frame of reference of the train?

Answer & Explanation

elgrupomentasb

elgrupomentasb

Beginner2022-08-21Added 9 answers

You have set up the pole-and-barn paradox problem correctly, but you forgot one important detail, which helps to clarify the situation. To recap:
- In the tunnel frame, the train is length contracted and can easily fit in the tunnel.
- In the train frame, the tunnel is length contracted and cannot fit in the tunnel.
- In the tunnel frame, the doors open/close simultaneously.
However, if the tunnel observer sees the train pass through without hitting the doors, that must be true - either it hit the doors, or it didn't. So the only other option is the events (doors opening and closing) are not simultaneous in the train's frame of reference. The train observer sees the back door open, then the front door open, with sufficient time between those events such that the train can pass through the tunnel. Then, the back door closes, and the front door closes once the train has left.
Also, in case you're wondering, the mathematics of Lorentz contraction are determined by
L = L 1 v 2 c 2 ,
where L is the rest length and L is contracted length. Since in this case, the reference frames are effectively arbitrary, both the tunnel and train frames have equally correct observations.

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