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ON THE RELATIVITY OF THE CONCEPTION OF DISTANCE

LET us consider two particular points on the train^[1] travelling along the embankment with the velocity $v$, and inquire as to their distance apart. We already know that it is necessary to have a body of reference for the measurement of a distance, with respect to which body the distance can be measured up. It is the simplest plan to use the train itself as the reference-body (co-ordinate system). An observer in the train measures the interval by marking off his measuring-rod in a straight line (e.g. along the floor of the carriage) as many times as is necessary to take him from the one marked point to the other. Then the number which tells us how often the rod has to be laid down is the required distance.

It is a different matter when the distance has to be judged from the railway line. Here the following method suggests itself. If we call $A'$ and $B'$ the two points on the train whose distance apart is required, then both of these points are

1. e.g. the middle of the first and of the hundredth carriage.

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