Galilean Addition of Velocities
As Galileo observed, if a ship is moving relative to the shore at velocity v, and a fly is moving with velocity u as measured on the ship, calculating the velocity of the fly as measured on the shore is what is meant by the addition of the velocities v and u. When both the fly and the ship are moving slowly compared to light, it is accurate enough to use the vector sum
where s is the velocity of the fly relative to the shore.
Read more about this topic: Velocity-addition Formula
Famous quotes containing the words galilean and/or addition:
“Last came, and last did go,
The pilot of the Galilean lake.”
—John Milton (1608–1674)
“As easy mayst thou fall
A drop of water in the breaking gulf,
And take unmingled thence that drop again,
Without addition or diminishing,
As take from me thyself and not me too.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)