Time and motion in physics: the Reciprocity Principle, relativistic invariance of the lengths of rulers and time dilatation

Abstract

Ponderable objects moving in free space according to Newton's First Law constitute both rulers and clocks when one such object is viewed from the rest frame of another. Together with the Reciprocity Principle this is used to demonstrate, in both Galilean and special relativity, the invariance of the measured length of a ruler in motion. The different times: `proper', `improper' and `apparent' appearing in different formulations of the relativistic time dilatation relation are discussed and exemplified by experimental applications. A non-intuitive `length expansion' effect predicted by the Reciprocity Principle as a necessary consequence of time dilatation is pointed out