A vertical line moving with velocity , when seen, assumes the shape of a hyperbola or parabola accordingly as or . At , which actually is not possible, the line takes the form of an ellipse, or parts of an ellipse, or even becomes imaginary, depending upon the length of the line, the magnitude of the velocity, and the distance of the viewer from the line. If, however, a line moving with recedes from the viewer, it seems less curved until at infinity it straightens up to look vertical again.
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© 1970 American Association of Physics Teachers.
1970
American Association of Physics Teachers
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