- #1
aceofspades
- 10
- 0
Okay... I am pretty sure this isn't a paradox, so my
reasoning must be flawed somewhere.
Could someone tell me where I am going wrong?
Consider 2 electrons, traveling in straight lines,
parallel to each other, at the same speed v, in
the same direction. An observer in a stationary
reference frame will see them each produce a magnetic
field, and so will notice them being drawn towards
each other.
(Analagous with the force between 2 parallel current carrying wires)
Now consider the case where the observer moves
with the electrons, within their frame of reference.
To him, the electrons will appear stationary, and so
he will only see an electric field between them.
If this was the case, he should see the electrons being
repelled from each other.
Obviously the physics must be the same, irrespective of the
frame of reference, so where have I gone wrong?
Thanks a lot!
reasoning must be flawed somewhere.
Could someone tell me where I am going wrong?
Consider 2 electrons, traveling in straight lines,
parallel to each other, at the same speed v, in
the same direction. An observer in a stationary
reference frame will see them each produce a magnetic
field, and so will notice them being drawn towards
each other.
(Analagous with the force between 2 parallel current carrying wires)
Now consider the case where the observer moves
with the electrons, within their frame of reference.
To him, the electrons will appear stationary, and so
he will only see an electric field between them.
If this was the case, he should see the electrons being
repelled from each other.
Obviously the physics must be the same, irrespective of the
frame of reference, so where have I gone wrong?
Thanks a lot!
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