Impossible Muons

This video is about how terrestrial muons are part of our experimental proof of time dilation, length contraction, and special relativity in general.

REFERENCES

Cosmic Rays

Terrestrial Cosmic Rays

Cosmic Ray Interaction Depth & Muon Production Altitude

Cosmic rays are stronger at the poles

Cosmic Rays on Hyperphysics

Exponential decay and mean lifetime

MinutePhysics is on twitter - @minutephysics

Minute Physics provides an energetic and entertaining view of old and new problems in physics -- all in a minute!

Created by Henry Reich

[stevec]

This is a *brilliant* explanation of how time dilation and length contraction are simply the same phenomenon from two different frames of reference. Two sides of the same coin.

[thejesuschrist]

Amazing! Evidence for time dilation is awesome!

[steveger]

"irresponsible scientists shoot whole earth at space particles at near light speed"

[ReySilverskin]

The power of spacetime dilation continues to astound me. I always pictured it as applying mainly to large objects, probably because of all those thought experiments. I honestly never thought it would apply to individual particles like this. But now that I think about it, of course it would. Why wouldn't it?

Science is cool.

[hymanimy]

Literally just learnt about time dilation and length contraction in class for the first time yesterday. This helped me understand it so much more

[spelunkerd]

For some reason I find time dilation to be easier to comprehend compared to length dilation. Shrinking of an approaching three dimensional object on only the axis of apparent movement seems, more abstract.

[renelznicolas]

Henry, PLEASE make a video explaining how particle detectors work!! Great job, btw. Love you

[bjs]

I learned this in college decades ago. I've forgotten most of the physics I learned back then, but this always stuck with me. It's just an awesome real-world proof of relativity.

[PabloPerroPerro]

After watching your series on special relativity, I understand this video, and it has blown my mind.
Awesome!

[karlok]

Holy cow, this is an insane, and mind blowing example of real-world physics

[flensdude]

In other words, Earth is flat! ...






... for objects moving at relativistic velocities due to length contraction.

[PersianMapper]

I clicked on this faster than a Muon could say length contraction

[mcig]

3:12 that stickman just turned into an *OK*

[djotter]

I saw this demonstrated at Jungfrau in Switzerland about 10 years ago. They had a reseach station detecting muons at 3500m above sea level and again closer to sea level (I think in Bern?), and at that altitude difference, the rate of detection of muons should be very different because of their half life, but it was almost identical. I don't remember if they could explain it on the information panel I read, but it is nice to hear an explanation all this time later :)

[morgansearle]

Just finished the first module of special relativity, and honestly this is helpful. I would appreciate it more if it also covered the peculiarities of Einstein velocity addition and exactly how Doppler shift calculations are supposed to work, because that's a REAL sticking point for basically all of us, but it was nice to see the muon dilation experiment in more concrete terms here.

[theguyfrommars]

"Muons Impossible" - Starring Time Cruise and Length Contraction

[xXPvPSkillerXx]

If I could just dilate the time of my weekends...

[mr.curious]

This is a brilliant explanation and I think the best available on youtube, and in just 4.5 minutes.
I also had a doubt that *What about Muons' perspective*, many explain this, but no-one explains the length contraction in this simple way. You are the best YT channel for all these amazing science stuff to be explained in such simple way, just like legendary Richard Feynman did.

[minomorr]

Omg I just learned this this semester!! You have no idea how happy this makes me!!

[Nitram]

"The earth moving toward to at 99.995% the speed of light"
Am i the only who was terrified by this mental picture??