Conceptual Physics (12th Edition)

Published by Addison-Wesley
ISBN 10: 0321909100
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-910-7

Chapter 35 - Think and Explain - Page 684-685: 57

Answer

It depends in the reference frames from which the events are viewed.

Work Step by Step

Viewed from different frames of reference that are in relative motion, events can occur in the order AB in frame S, but in the order BA in frame S'. It should be noted that this does not apply to all pairs of events. A more advanced physics course reveals that if the two events cannot, even in principle, be linked by a beam of light, their order of occurrence can be reversed.
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