{"id":53,"date":"2019-02-11T00:51:09","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T05:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcitphys8400\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=53"},"modified":"2019-04-12T18:41:43","modified_gmt":"2019-04-12T22:41:43","slug":"1-5-the-lorentz-transformation","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/bcitphys8400\/chapter\/1-5-the-lorentz-transformation\/","title":{"raw":"1.5 The Lorentz Transformation","rendered":"1.5 The Lorentz Transformation"},"content":{"raw":"<div data-type=\"abstract\" id=\"1582\" class=\"ui-has-child-title\"><header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe the Galilean transformation of classical mechanics, relating the position, time, velocities, and accelerations measured in different inertial frames<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Derive the corresponding Lorentz transformation equations, which, in contrast to the Galilean transformation, are consistent with special relativity<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Explain the Lorentz transformation and many of the features of relativity in terms of four-dimensional space-time<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">We have used the postulates of relativity to examine, in particular examples, how observers in different frames of reference measure different values for lengths and the time intervals. We can gain further insight into how the postulates of relativity change the Newtonian view of time and space by examining the transformation equations that give the space and time coordinates of events in one inertial reference frame in terms of those in another. We first examine how position and time coordinates transform between inertial frames according to the view in Newtonian physics. Then we examine how this has to be changed to agree with the postulates of relativity. Finally, we examine the resulting Lorentz transformation equations and some of their consequences in terms of four-dimensional space-time diagrams, to support the view that the consequences of special relativity result from the properties of time and space itself, rather than electromagnetism.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/header><\/div>\r\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793570196\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h3 data-type=\"title\">The Galilean Transformation Equations<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794122081\">An<span>\u00a0<\/span><span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term168\">event<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>is specified by its location and time (<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">z<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>) relative to one particular inertial frame of reference<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>. As an example, (<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">z<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>) could denote the position of a particle at time<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>, and we could be looking at these positions for many different times to follow the motion of the particle. Suppose a second frame of reference<span> <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1063-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>moves with velocity<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>with respect to the first. For simplicity, assume this relative velocity is along the<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis. The relation between the time and coordinates in the two frames of reference is then<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793882286\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x=x\u2032+vt,y=y\u2032,z=z\u2032.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794136721\">Implicit in these equations is the assumption that time measurements made by observers in both<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>and<span> <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1065-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are the same. That is,<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794171349\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t=t\u2032.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794334170\">These four equations are known collectively as the<span>\u00a0<\/span><span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term169\">Galilean transformation<\/span>.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793992249\">We can obtain the Galilean velocity and acceleration transformation equations by differentiating these equations with respect to time. We use<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">u<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>for the velocity of a particle throughout this chapter to distinguish it from<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em>, the relative velocity of two reference frames. Note that, for the Galilean transformation, the increment of time used in differentiating to calculate the particle velocity is the same in both frames,<span> dt=dt\u2032.\u00a0<\/span>Differentiation yields<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794071521\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ux=ux\u2032+v,uy=uy\u2032,uz=uz\u2032<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793422029\">and<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1163723869824\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ax=ax\u2032,ay=ay\u2032,az=az\u2032.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793354918\">We denote the velocity of the particle by<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">u<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>rather than<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>to avoid confusion with the velocity<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>of one frame of reference with respect to the other. Velocities in each frame differ by the velocity that one frame has as seen from the other frame. Observers in both frames of reference measure the same value of the acceleration. Because the mass is unchanged by the transformation, and distances between points are uncharged, observers in both frames see the same forces<span> <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1070-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">F=ma<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>acting between objects and the same form of Newton\u2019s second and third laws in all inertial frames. The laws of mechanics are consistent with the first postulate of relativity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-id1167793450334\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h3 data-type=\"title\">The Lorentz Transformation Equations<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793418134\">The Galilean transformation nevertheless violates Einstein\u2019s postulates, because the velocity equations state that a pulse of light moving with speed\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c\u00a0<\/em>along the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis would travel at speed c\u2212v in the other inertial frame. Specifically, the spherical pulse has radius r=ct<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-10-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>at time\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>in the unprimed frame, and also has radius r\u2032=ct\u2032 at time <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1074-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>t\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>in the primed frame. Expressing these relations in Cartesian coordinates gives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794037625\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x2+y2+z2\u2212c2t2=0x\u20322+y\u20322+z\u20322\u2212c2t\u20322=0.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793526783\">The left-hand sides of the two expressions can be set equal because both are zero. Because <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1076-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>y=y\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>and z=z\u2032, we obtain<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793730445\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">x2\u2212c2t2=x\u20322\u2212c2t\u20322.\r\n[1.5]<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">This cannot be satisfied for nonzero relative velocity\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 14pt\" data-effect=\"italics\">v\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">of the two frames if we assume the Galilean transformation results in<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px\">\u00a0 t=t\u2032<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1079-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">with x=x\u2032+vt\u2032.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793515459\">To find the correct set of transformation equations, assume the two coordinate systems\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>and S\u2032 in Figure 1.13. First suppose that an event occurs at\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1082-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>(x\u2032,0,0,t\u2032)<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-21-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"math\" id=\"MathJax-Span-359\"><span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-360\"><span class=\"semantics\" id=\"MathJax-Span-361\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-362\"><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-363\">S<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-364\">'<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span>and at\u00a0(x,0,0,t)\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-22-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;(&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;)&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;(&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;)&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>, as depicted in the figure.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\r\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_FrameRef\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"526\"]<img alt=\"The axes of frames S and S prime are shown. S has axes x, y, and z. S prime is moving to the right with velocity v and has axes x prime, y prime and z prime. S and S prime are aligned along the horizontal x and x prime axes and are separated by a distance v t. An event on the horizontal x and x prime axes is indicated by a point which is a distance x from the y z plane of the S frame and a distance x prime from the y prime, z prime plane of the S prime frame.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"49752\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/a2b3997dff7a717555902ca3279bc1723837f76d\" width=\"526\" height=\"312\" \/> Figure 1.13 An event occurs at (x, 0, 0, t) in S and at (x\u2032,0,0,t\u2032) in S\u2032. The Lorentz transformation equations relate events in the two systems.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793964531\">Suppose that at the instant that the origins of the coordinate systems in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>and <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1087-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>coincide, a flash bulb emits a spherically spreading pulse of light starting from the origin. At time\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>, an observer in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>finds the origin of S\u2032 to be at x=vt. With the help of a friend in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>, the S\u2032 observer also measures the distance from the event to the origin of\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1091-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0a<\/span>nd finds it to be x\u20321\u2212v2\/c2.<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-30-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\/&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\/&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>This follows because we have already shown the postulates of relativity to imply length contraction. Thus the position of the event in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>is<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793844075\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x=vt+x\u20321\u2212v2\/c2<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794216281\">and<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794317258\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x\u2032=x\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793261732\">The postulates of relativity imply that the equation relating distance and time of the spherical wave front:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793877989\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x2+y2+z2\u2212c2t2=0<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794061397\">must apply both in terms of primed and unprimed coordinates, which was shown above to lead to Equation 1.5:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793580546\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x2\u2212c2t2=x\u20322\u2212c2t\u20322.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794023693\">We combine this with the equation relating\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x\u00a0<\/em>and <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1097-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>x\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>to obtain the relation between\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>and t\u2032:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794227896\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t\u2032=t\u2212vx\/c21\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794333896\">The equations relating the time and position of the events as seen in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>are then<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793953460\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t=t\u2032+vx\u2032\/c21\u2212v2\/c2x=x\u2032+vt\u20321\u2212v2\/c2y=y\u2032z=z\u2032.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793882857\">This set of equations, relating the position and time in the two inertial frames, is known as the\u00a0<span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term170\">Lorentz transformation<\/span>. They are named in honor of H.A. Lorentz (1853\u20131928), who first proposed them. Interestingly, he justified the transformation on what was eventually discovered to be a fallacious hypothesis. The correct theoretical basis is Einstein\u2019s special theory of relativity.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793251224\">The reverse transformation expresses the variables in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>in terms of those in S\u2032.\u00a0Simply interchanging the primed and unprimed variables and substituting gives:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794094175\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t\u2032=t\u2212vx\/c21\u2212v2\/c2x\u2032=x\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2y\u2032=yz\u2032=z.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\"><header>\r\n<h3 class=\"os-title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">EXAMPLE<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.6<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<\/header><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">Using the Lorentz Transformation for Time<\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\n<section>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793985684\"><strong>Using the Lorentz Transformation for Time<\/strong><\/p>\r\nSpacecraft S\u2032<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-41-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0\u2032<\/span><\/span>is on its way to Alpha Centauri when Spacecraft\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>passes it at relative speed\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>\/2. The captain of S\u2032 sends a radio signal that lasts 1.2 s according to that ship\u2019s clock. Use the Lorentz transformation to find the time interval of the signal measured by the communications officer of spaceship\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>.\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1172099482378\"><strong>Solution<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-id1167793965234\" type=\"a\">\r\n \t<li>Identify the known:<span style=\"font-size: 14px\"> \u0394t\u2032=t2\u2032\u2212t1\u2032=1.2s;\u0394x\u2032=x\u20322\u2212x\u20321=0.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify the unknown: \u0394t=t2\u2212t1.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Express the answer as an equation. The time signal starts as\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1107-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>(x\u2032,t1\u2032)<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>and stops at (x\u2032,t2\u2032). Note that the x\u2032coordinate of both events is the same because the clock is at rest in S\u2032. Write the first Lorentz transformation equation in terms of \u0394t=\u0394t\u20321\u2212v2c2.<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1112-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u00a0a<\/span><\/span><\/span>nd similarly for the primed coordinates, as:\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793269813\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394t=\u0394t\u2032+v\u0394x\u2032\/c21\u2212v2c2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>Because the position of the clock in S\u2032 is fixed, \u0394x\u2032=0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-53-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">,<\/span><\/span>and the time interval\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1116-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u0394t<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>becomes:<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793219268\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\r\n\r\n<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-55-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: center;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"math\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1000\"><span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1001\"><span class=\"semantics\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1002\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1003\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1004\"><span class=\"mtext\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1005\">\u0394<\/span><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1006\">t<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1007\">=<\/span><span class=\"mfrac\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1008\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1009\"><span class=\"mtext\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1010\">\u0394<\/span><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1011\">t<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1012\">'<\/span><\/span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1013\"><span class=\"msqrt\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1014\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1015\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1016\"><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1017\">1<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1018\">\u2212<\/span><span class=\"mfrac\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1019\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1020\"><span class=\"msup\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1021\"><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1022\">v<\/span><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1023\">2<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1024\"><span class=\"msup\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1025\"><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1026\">c<\/span><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1027\">2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2212\u2212\u2212\u2212\u2212\u221a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1028\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block\" role=\"presentation\">\u0394t=\u0394t\u20321\u2212v2c2.<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do the calculation.\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>With \u0394t\u2032=1.2s this gives:<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793355502\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394t=1.2s1\u2212(12)2=1.6s.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>Note that the Lorentz transformation reproduces the time dilation equation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/section><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793450334\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<div data-type=\"example\" id=\"fs-id1167793886681\" class=\"ui-has-child-title\"><header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\"><header>\r\n<h3 class=\"os-title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">EXAMPLE<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.7<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<\/header><section>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793427514\"><strong>Using the Lorentz Transformation for Length\r\n<\/strong>\r\nA surveyor measures a street to be <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1120-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>L=100m<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-58-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;L&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot; \/&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;L&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot;&gt;&lt;\/mspace&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>long in Earth frame S. Use the Lorentz transformation to obtain an expression for its length measured from a spaceship S\u2032, moving by at speed 0.20\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>, assuming the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x\u00a0<\/em>coordinates of the two frames coincide at time t=0.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1172099601774\"><strong>Solution<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-id1167793502848\" type=\"a\">\r\n \t<li>Identify the known:<span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1123-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>L=100m;v=0.20c;\u0394\u03c4=0.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify the unknown: L\u2032.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Express the answer as an equation. The surveyor in frame S has measured the two ends of the stick simultaneously, and found them at rest at <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1125-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>x2<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>and x1 a distance <span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1127-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>L=x2\u2212x1=100m\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>apart. The spaceship crew measures the simultaneous location of the ends of the sticks in their frame. To relate the lengths recorded by observers in <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1128-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>S\u2032\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>and S, respectively, write the second of the four Lorentz transformation equations as:\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793776040\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x\u20322\u2212x\u20321=x2\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2\u2212x1\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2=x2\u2212x11\u2212v2\/c2=L1\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do the calculation. Because x\u20322\u2212x\u20321=100m<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-68-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot; \/&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot;&gt;&lt;\/mspace&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">,<\/span><\/span>the length of the moving stick is equal to:\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793570119\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">L\u2032=(100m)1\u2212v2\/c2=(100m)1\u2212(0.20)2=98.0m.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>Note that the Lorentz transformation gave the length contraction equation for the street.\r\n\r\n<header><\/header><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/section><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\"><header>\r\n<h3 class=\"os-title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">EXAMPLE<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.8<\/span><\/h3>\r\n<\/header><section>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793957709\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">Lorentz Transformation and Simultaneity\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\nThe observer shown in\u00a0Figure 1.14\u00a0standing by the railroad tracks sees the two bulbs flash simultaneously at both ends of the 26 m long passenger car when the middle of the car passes him at a speed of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>\/2. Find the separation in time between when the bulbs flashed as seen by the train passenger seated in the middle of the car.\r\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\r\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_LampsPart1\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"817\"]<img alt=\"An observer on the ground watches a train car that is moving to the right with velocity v. Inside, at each end of the train car are lamps, each emitting a signal that is propagating toward the center of the car, and in the center of the car sits a passenger.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"9503\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/f605bcf16835b1f16b3bfb5fc16bff9774346ba5\" width=\"817\" height=\"240\" \/> Figure 1.14 A person watching a train go by observes two bulbs flash simultaneously at opposite ends of a passenger car. There is another passenger inside of the car observing the same flashes but from a different perspective.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<div><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1172101965379\"><strong>Solution<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-id1167794292189\" type=\"a\">\r\n \t<li>Identify the known: \u0394t=0.\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>Note that the spatial separation of the two events is between the two lamps, not the distance of the lamp to the passenger.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify the unknown: \u0394t\u2032=t2\u2032\u2212t1\u2032.\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>Again, note that the time interval is between the flashes of the lamps, not between arrival times for reaching the passenger.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Express the answer as an equation:\r\n<span data-type=\"newline\">\r\n<\/span>\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793978802\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394t=\u0394t\u2032+v\u0394x\u2032\/c21\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do the calculation:0=\u0394t\u2032+c2(26m)\/c21\u2212v2\/c2\u0394t\u2032=\u221226m\/s2c=\u221226m\/s2(3.00\u00d7108m\/s)\u0394t\u2032=\u22124.33\u00d710\u22128s.\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793610546\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\r\n\r\n<strong style=\"text-indent: 1em;font-size: 1rem\">Significance<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793618027\">The sign indicates that the event with the larger x2\u2032, namely, the flash from the right, is seen to occur first in the S\u2032frame, as found earlier for this example, so that t2&lt;t1.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><\/div>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 1em;font-style: italic\">Space-time<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/header><\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-id1167794147477\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794147482\">Relativistic phenomena can be analyzed in terms of events in a four-dimensional\u00a0<span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term171\">space-time<\/span>. When phenomena such as the twin paradox, time dilation, length contraction, and the dependence of simultaneity on relative motion are viewed in this way, they are seen to be characteristic of the nature of space and time, rather than specific aspects of electromagnetism.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793978751\">In three-dimensional space, positions are specified by three coordinates on a set of Cartesian axes, and the displacement of one point from another is given by:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793978755\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">(\u0394x,\u0394y,\u0394z)=(x2\u2212x1,y2\u2212y1,z2\u2212z1).<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793944720\">The distance\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1140-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u0394r<\/span><\/span><\/span>between the points is<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794159489\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394r2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793984902\">The distance<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1142-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r<\/span><\/span><\/span>is invariant under a rotation of axes. If a new set of Cartesian axes rotated around the origin relative to the original axes are used, each point in space will have new coordinates in terms of the new axes, but the distance<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1143-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span>given by<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793952811\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394r\u20322=(\u0394x\u2032)2+(\u0394y\u2032)2+(\u0394z\u2032)2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794046730\">That has the same value that<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1145-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>had. Something similar happens with the Lorentz transformation in space-time.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793599610\">Define the separation between two events, each given by a set of<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">z\u00b8<\/em>and<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct<\/em>along a four-dimensional Cartesian system of axes in space-time, as<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793220217\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">(\u0394x,\u0394y,\u0394z,c\u0394t)=(x2\u2212x1,y2\u2212y1,z2\u2212z1,c(t2\u2212t1)).<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793372814\">Also define the space-time interval<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1147-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s<\/span><\/span><\/span>between the two events as<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793549811\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794206265\">If the two events have the same value of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct\u00a0<\/em>in the frame of reference considered,<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1149-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s<\/span><\/span><\/span>would correspond to the distance<span> \u0394r\u00a0<\/span>between points in space.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794206982\">The path of a particle through space-time consists of the events (<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">z\u00b8 ct<\/em>) specifying a location at each time of its motion. The path through space-time is called the\u00a0<span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term172\">world line\u00a0<\/span>of the particle. The world line of a particle that remains at rest at the same location is a straight line that is parallel to the time axis. If the particle moves at constant velocity parallel to the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis, its world line would be a sloped line<span> x=vt,\u00a0<\/span>corresponding to a simple displacement vs. time graph. If the particle accelerates, its world line is curved. The increment of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">s\u00a0<\/em>along the world line of the particle is given in differential form as<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794126378\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ds2=(dx)2+(dy)2+(dz)2\u2212c2(dt)2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793456297\">Just as the distance\u00a0<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1153-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>is invariant under rotation of the space axes, the space-time interval:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794051432\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793886697\">is invariant under the Lorentz transformation. This follows from the postulates of relativity, and can be seen also by substitution of the previous Lorentz transformation equations into the expression for the space-time interval:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793706076\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793706076\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1155-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2=(\u0394x\u2032+v\u0394t\u20321\u2212v2\/c2)2+(\u0394y\u2032)2+(\u0394z\u2032)2\u2212(c\u0394t\u2032+v\u0394x\u2032c21\u2212v2\/c2)2=(\u0394x\u2032)2+(\u0394y\u2032)2+(\u0394z\u2032)2\u2212(c\u0394t\u2032)2=\u0394s\u20322.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794328309\">In addition, the Lorentz transformation changes the coordinates of an event in time and space similarly to how a three-dimensional rotation changes old coordinates into new coordinates:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1163709712268\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1163709712268\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1156-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>Lorentz transformation Axis\u2013rotation around z-axis(x,tcoordinates):(x,ycoordinates):x\u2032=(\u03b3)x+(\u2212\u03b2\u03b3)ctx\u2032=(cos\u03b8)x+(sin\u03b8)yct\u2032=(\u2212\u03b2\u03b3)x+(\u03b3)cty\u2032=(\u2212sin\u03b8)x+(cos\u03b8)y<\/span><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793498474\">where\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1157-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u03b3=11\u2212\u03b22;\u03b2=v\/c.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793418412\">Lorentz transformations can be regarded as generalizations of spatial rotations to space-time. However, there are some differences between a three-dimensional axis rotation and a Lorentz transformation involving the time axis, because of differences in how the metric, or rule for measuring the displacements<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1158-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r<\/span><\/span><\/span>and<span> \u0394s,<\/span>differ. Although<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1160-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>is invariant under spatial rotations and<span> \u0394s<\/span>is invariant also under Lorentz transformation, the Lorentz transformation involving the time axis does not preserve some features, such as the axes remaining perpendicular or the length scale along each axis remaining the same.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793450269\">Note that the quantity<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1162-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>can have either sign, depending on the coordinates of the space-time events involved. For pairs of events that give it a negative sign, it is useful to define<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1163-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394\u03c42<\/span><\/span><\/span>as<span> \u2212\u0394s2.\u00a0<\/span>The significance of<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1165-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394\u03c4<\/span><\/span><\/span>as just defined follows by noting that in a frame of reference where the two events occur at the same location, we have<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1166-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394x=\u0394y=\u0394z=0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>and therefore (from the equation for<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1167-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s2=\u2212\u0394\u03c42):<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793495057\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394\u03c42=\u2212\u0394s2=(\u0394t)2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793308071\">Therefore<span> \u0394\u03c4<\/span>is the time interval<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1170-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394t<\/span><\/span><\/span>in the frame of reference where both events occur at the same location. It is the same interval of proper time discussed earlier. It also follows from the relation between<span> \u0394s<\/span>and that<span> \u0394\u03c4\u00a0<\/span>that because<span> \u0394s<\/span>is Lorentz invariant, the proper time is also Lorentz invariant. All observers in all inertial frames agree on the proper time intervals between the same two events.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.5<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\"><header>\r\n<div class=\"os-title\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\">Show that if a time increment\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 1rem\" data-effect=\"italics\">dt\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\">elapses for an observer who sees the particle moving with velocity\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 1rem\" data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\">, it corresponds to a proper time particle increment for the particle of<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\"> d\u03c4=\u03b3dt.<\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/header><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 1em\">The light cone<\/span>\r\n\r\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793559889\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793559894\">We can deal with the difficulty of visualizing and sketching graphs in four dimensions by imagining the three spatial coordinates to be represented collectively by a horizontal axis, and the vertical axis to be the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct-<\/em>axis. Starting with a particular event in space-time as the origin of the space-time graph shown, the world line of a particle that remains at rest at the initial location of the event at the origin then is the time axis. Any plane through the time axis parallel to the spatial axes contains all the events that are simultaneous with each other and with the intersection of the plane and the time axis, as seen in the rest frame of the event at the origin.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793751964\">It is useful to picture a\u00a0<span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term173\">light cone\u00a0<\/span>on the graph, formed by the world lines of all light beams passing through the origin event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>, as shown in Figure 1.15. The light cone, according to the postulates of relativity, has sides at an angle of\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-113-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;45&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u00b0&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;45&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u00b0&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"math\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2497\"><span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2498\"><span class=\"semantics\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2499\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2500\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2501\"><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2502\">45<\/span><span class=\"mtext\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2503\">\u00b0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>if the time axis is measured in units of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct<\/em>, and, according to the postulates of relativity, the light cone remains the same in all inertial frames. Because the event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A\u00a0<\/em>is arbitrary, every point in the space-time diagram has a light cone associated with it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\r\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_LightCone\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"330\"]<img alt=\"A space time diagram has a space on the horizontal axis and time on the vertical axis. The light cone is a vertical cone above the origin with its vertex at the origin and sides at 45 degrees, and another vertical cone below the origin with its vertex also at the origin. Three events are shown. Event A is at the origin. Event B is inside the light cone. Event C is outside the light cone.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"17920\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/cbd9b38e7c9b172a5118c7899933962ee1c4e03e\" width=\"330\" height=\"435\" \/> Figure 1.15 The light cone consists of all the world lines followed by light from the event A at the vertex of the cone.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793376150\">Consider now the world line of a particle through space-time. Any world line outside of the cone, such as one passing from\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A\u00a0<\/em>through\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">C<\/em>, would involve speeds greater than\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>, and would therefore not be possible. Events such as\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">C\u00a0<\/em>that lie outside the light cone are said to have a space-like separation from event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>. They are characterized by:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793418353\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAC2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&gt;0.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793589889\">An event like\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">B\u00a0<\/em>that lies in the upper cone is reachable without exceeding the speed of light in vacuum, and is characterized by<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793730467\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAB2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&lt;0.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793282566\">The event is said to have a time-like separation from\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>. Time-like events that fall into the upper half of the light cone occur at greater values of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>than the time of the event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A\u00a0<\/em>at the vertex and are in the future relative to\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>. Events that have time-like separation from A and fall in the lower half of the light cone are in the past, and can affect the event at the origin. The region outside the light cone is labeled as neither past nor future, but rather as \u201celsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793609380\">For any event that has a space-like separation from the event at the origin, it is possible to choose a time axis that will make the two events occur at the same time, so that the two events are simultaneous in some frame of reference. Therefore, which of the events with space-like separation comes before the other in time also depends on the frame of reference of the observer. Since space-like separations can be traversed only by exceeding the speed of light; this violation of which event can cause the other provides another argument for why particles cannot travel faster than the speed of light, as well as potential material for science fiction about time travel. Similarly for any event with time-like separation from the event at the origin, a frame of reference can be found that will make the events occur at the same location. Because the relations<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793609391\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAC2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&gt;0<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793607280\">and<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793607283\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAB2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&lt;0.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793478377\">are Lorentz invariant, whether two events are time-like and can be made to occur at the same place or space-like and can be made to occur at the same time is the same for all observers. All observers in different inertial frames of reference agree on whether two events have a time-like or space-like separation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-id1167793776059\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h4 data-type=\"title\">The twin paradox seen in space-time<\/h4>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793776064\">The\u00a0<span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term174\">twin paradox\u00a0<\/span>discussed earlier involves an astronaut twin traveling at near light speed to a distant star system, and returning to Earth. Because of time dilation, the space twin is predicted to age much less than the earthbound twin. This seems paradoxical because we might have expected at first glance for the relative motion to be symmetrical and naively thought it possible to also argue that the earthbound twin should age less.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793478379\">To analyze this in terms of a space-time diagram, assume that the origin of the axes used is fixed in Earth. The world line of the earthbound twin is then along the time axis.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793488591\">The world line of the astronaut twin, who travels to the distant star and then returns, must deviate from a straight line path in order to allow a return trip. As seen in Figure 1.16, the circumstances of the two twins are not at all symmetrical. Their paths in space-time are of manifestly different length. Specifically, the world line of the earthbound twin has length<span> 2c\u0394t,<\/span>which then gives the proper time that elapses for the earthbound twin as<span> 2\u0394t.<\/span>The distance to the distant star system is<span> \u0394x=v\u0394t.<\/span>The proper time that elapses for the space twin is<span> 2\u0394\u03c4<\/span>where<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793479976\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">c2\u0394\u03c42=\u2212\u0394s2=(c\u0394t)2\u2212(\u0394x)2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793940366\">This is considerably shorter than the proper time for the earthbound twin by the ratio<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793940369\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">c\u0394\u03c4c\u0394t=(c\u0394t)2\u2212(\u0394x)2(c\u0394t)2=(c\u0394t)2\u2212(v\u0394t)2(c\u0394t)2=1\u2212v2c2=1\u03b3.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794061884\">consistent with the time dilation formula. The twin paradox is therefore seen to be no paradox at all. The situation of the two twins is not symmetrical in the space-time diagram. The only surprise is perhaps that the seemingly longer path on the space-time diagram corresponds to the smaller proper time interval, because of how<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1186-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394\u03c4<\/span><\/span><\/span>and<span> \u0394s\u00a0<\/span>depend on<span> \u0394x\u00a0<\/span>and<span> \u0394t.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\r\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_SpaceTwins\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"441\"]<img alt=\"The space time diagram has x on the horizontal axis and c t on the vertical axis. The light cone appears as 45 degree lines coming out of the origin. The earth twin world line is a vertical line on the c t axis. The first part of the space twin world line is a line leaving the origin at an angle larger than 45 degrees but less than 90 degrees. At a point that is a vertical distance c delta t and a horizontal distance delta x from the origin, the world line of the space twin bends back toward the c t axis and hits the c t axis a vertical distance c delta t from where it changed direction.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"94744\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/aea99e18fd06e2c2b96a1fa8d4f5b9374cbc36aa\" width=\"441\" height=\"257\" \/> Figure 1.16 The space twin and the earthbound twin, in the twin paradox example, follow world lines of different length through space-time.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-id1167794042492\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h4 data-type=\"title\">Lorentz transformations in space-time<\/h4>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794076109\">We have already noted how the Lorentz transformation leaves<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793604061\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793416418\">unchanged and corresponds to a rotation of axes in the four-dimensional space-time. If the S and<span> S\u2032<\/span>frames are in relative motion along their shared\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-direction the space and time axes of<span> S\u2032\u00a0<\/span>are rotated by an angle<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1193-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u03b1<\/span><\/span><\/span>as seen from S, in the way shown in shown in Figure 1.17, where:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794296565\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">tan\u03b1=vc=\u03b2.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794296588\">This differs from a rotation in the usual three-dimension sense, insofar as the two space-time axes rotate toward each other symmetrically in a scissors-like way, as shown. The rotation of the time and space axes are both through the same angle. The mesh of dashed lines parallel to the two axes show how coordinates of an event would be read along the primed axes. This would be done by following a line parallel to the<span> x\u2032\u00a0<\/span>and one parallel to the<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1196-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">t\u2032<\/span><\/span>-axis,\u00a0<\/span>as shown by the dashed lines. The length scale of both axes are changed by:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794045745\">\r\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ct\u2032=ct1+\u03b221\u2212\u03b22;x\u2032=x1+\u03b221\u2212\u03b22.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794032279\">The line labeled<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1198-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u201cv=c\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>at\u00a0<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1199-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">45\u00b0<\/span><\/span><\/span>to the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis corresponds to the edge of the light cone, and is unaffected by the Lorentz transformation, in accordance with the second postulate of relativity. The<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1200-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u201cv=c\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>line, and the light cone it represents, are the same for both the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1201-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span>frame of reference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\r\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_Lorentz\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"427\"]<img alt=\"The space time diagram has axes x and c t. The v=c line is a line at 45 degrees. A second set of axes, x prime and c t prime, are also shown. These axes share the same origin as the x c t axes. The x prime axis is an angle alpha = inverse tangent (v\/c) above the x axis. The c t prime axis is the same angle alpha to the right of the c t axis. A set of dashed lines parallel to the x prime and c t prime axes are also shown.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"12761\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/24641c4f4962a669574b422bdc620db1d128174a\" width=\"427\" height=\"435\" \/> Figure 1.17 The Lorentz transformation results in new space and time axes rotated in a scissors-like way with respect to the original axes.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-id1167793358405\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h4 data-type=\"title\">Simultaneity<\/h4>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793358410\"><span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term175\">Simultaneity\u00a0<\/span>of events at separated locations depends on the frame of reference used to describe them, as given by the scissors-like \u201crotation\u201d to new time and space coordinates as described. If two events have the same\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>values in the unprimed frame of reference, they need not have the same values measured along the<span> ct\u2032-axis,<\/span>and would then not be simultaneous in the primed frame.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794199252\">As a specific example, consider the near-light-speed train in which flash lamps at the two ends of the car have flashed simultaneously in the frame of reference of an observer on the ground. The space-time graph is shown Figure 1.18. The flashes of the two lamps are represented by the dots labeled \u201cLeft flash lamp\u201d and \u201cRight flash lamp\u201d that lie on the light cone in the past. The world line of both pulses travel along the edge of the light cone to arrive at the observer on the ground simultaneously. Their arrival is the event at the origin. They therefore had to be emitted simultaneously in the unprimed frame, as represented by the point labeled as<em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>(both). But time is measured along the<span> ct\u2032-axis\u00a0<\/span>in the frame of reference of the observer seated in the middle of the train car. So in her frame of reference, the emission event of the bulbs labeled as<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1204-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">t\u2032<\/span><\/span>\u00a0(left) and\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1205-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">t\u2032<\/span><\/span>\u00a0(right)\u00a0<\/span>were not simultaneous.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\r\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_STtrain\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"597\"]<img alt=\"The ground observer and the train, moving to the right at velocity v and with flash lamps at either end and a passenger in the center, are shown below a space time graph of the example. The horizontal and vertical axes of the space time diagram are the x and c t axes. The passenger is at x=0. The flashes are equidistant to the left and right of x=0 and are shown at the same time, t&lt;0. Light lines from each flash pass through the origin at 45 degrees and are labeled as v=c. The event t (both) is labeled where the horizontal line connecting the left and right flash events crosses the c t axis. The x prime axis is between the + 45 degree light line and the x axis. The c t prime axis is between the +45 degree light line and the vertical c t axis. A dashed line that is parallel to the x prime axis and passes through the left flash event is shown. The point where it crosses the c t prime axis is labeled as t prime (left). Another dashed line that is parallel to the x prime axis and passes through the right flash event is shown. The point where this second dashed line crosses the c t prime axis is labeled as t prime (right). The t prime (right) point is lower on the c t prime axis than the t prime (left) point.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"37957\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/6c3f71a2baf656d4ce092afed8e25b6814692924\" width=\"597\" height=\"627\" \/> Figure 1.18 The train example revisited. The flashes occur at the same time t (both) along the time axis of the ground observer, but at different times, along the t\u2032 time axis of the passenger.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793547981\">In terms of the space-time diagram, the two observers are merely using different time axes for the same events because they are in different inertial frames, and the conclusions of both observers are equally valid. As the analysis in terms of the space-time diagrams further suggests, the property of how simultaneity of events depends on the frame of reference results from the properties of space and time itself, rather than from anything specifically about electromagnetism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><\/section>&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"textbox\"><em>Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/af275420-6050-4707-995c-57b9cc13c358@11.1<\/em><\/div>","rendered":"<div data-type=\"abstract\" id=\"1582\" class=\"ui-has-child-title\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>Describe the Galilean transformation of classical mechanics, relating the position, time, velocities, and accelerations measured in different inertial frames<\/li>\n<li>Derive the corresponding Lorentz transformation equations, which, in contrast to the Galilean transformation, are consistent with special relativity<\/li>\n<li>Explain the Lorentz transformation and many of the features of relativity in terms of four-dimensional space-time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">We have used the postulates of relativity to examine, in particular examples, how observers in different frames of reference measure different values for lengths and the time intervals. We can gain further insight into how the postulates of relativity change the Newtonian view of time and space by examining the transformation equations that give the space and time coordinates of events in one inertial reference frame in terms of those in another. We first examine how position and time coordinates transform between inertial frames according to the view in Newtonian physics. Then we examine how this has to be changed to agree with the postulates of relativity. Finally, we examine the resulting Lorentz transformation equations and some of their consequences in terms of four-dimensional space-time diagrams, to support the view that the consequences of special relativity result from the properties of time and space itself, rather than electromagnetism.<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793570196\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h3 data-type=\"title\">The Galilean Transformation Equations<\/h3>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794122081\">An<span>\u00a0<\/span><span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term168\">event<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>is specified by its location and time (<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">z<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>) relative to one particular inertial frame of reference<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>. As an example, (<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">z<\/em>,<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>) could denote the position of a particle at time<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>, and we could be looking at these positions for many different times to follow the motion of the particle. Suppose a second frame of reference<span> <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1063-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>moves with velocity<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>with respect to the first. For simplicity, assume this relative velocity is along the<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis. The relation between the time and coordinates in the two frames of reference is then<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793882286\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x=x\u2032+vt,y=y\u2032,z=z\u2032.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794136721\">Implicit in these equations is the assumption that time measurements made by observers in both<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>and<span> <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1065-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are the same. That is,<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794171349\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t=t\u2032.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794334170\">These four equations are known collectively as the<span>\u00a0<\/span><span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term169\">Galilean transformation<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793992249\">We can obtain the Galilean velocity and acceleration transformation equations by differentiating these equations with respect to time. We use<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">u<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>for the velocity of a particle throughout this chapter to distinguish it from<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em>, the relative velocity of two reference frames. Note that, for the Galilean transformation, the increment of time used in differentiating to calculate the particle velocity is the same in both frames,<span> dt=dt\u2032.\u00a0<\/span>Differentiation yields<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794071521\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ux=ux\u2032+v,uy=uy\u2032,uz=uz\u2032<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793422029\">and<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1163723869824\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ax=ax\u2032,ay=ay\u2032,az=az\u2032.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793354918\">We denote the velocity of the particle by<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">u<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>rather than<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>to avoid confusion with the velocity<span>\u00a0<\/span><em data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span>\u00a0<\/span>of one frame of reference with respect to the other. Velocities in each frame differ by the velocity that one frame has as seen from the other frame. Observers in both frames of reference measure the same value of the acceleration. Because the mass is unchanged by the transformation, and distances between points are uncharged, observers in both frames see the same forces<span> <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1070-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">F=ma<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>acting between objects and the same form of Newton\u2019s second and third laws in all inertial frames. The laws of mechanics are consistent with the first postulate of relativity.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793450334\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h3 data-type=\"title\">The Lorentz Transformation Equations<\/h3>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793418134\">The Galilean transformation nevertheless violates Einstein\u2019s postulates, because the velocity equations state that a pulse of light moving with speed\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c\u00a0<\/em>along the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis would travel at speed c\u2212v in the other inertial frame. Specifically, the spherical pulse has radius r=ct<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-10-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>at time\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>in the unprimed frame, and also has radius r\u2032=ct\u2032 at time <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1074-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>t\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>in the primed frame. Expressing these relations in Cartesian coordinates gives<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794037625\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x2+y2+z2\u2212c2t2=0x\u20322+y\u20322+z\u20322\u2212c2t\u20322=0.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793526783\">The left-hand sides of the two expressions can be set equal because both are zero. Because <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1076-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>y=y\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>and z=z\u2032, we obtain<\/p>\n<div data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793730445\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\n<div class=\"textbox\">x2\u2212c2t2=x\u20322\u2212c2t\u20322.<br \/>\n[1.5]<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">This cannot be satisfied for nonzero relative velocity\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 14pt\" data-effect=\"italics\">v\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">of the two frames if we assume the Galilean transformation results in<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14px\">\u00a0 t=t\u2032<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1079-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">with x=x\u2032+vt\u2032.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793515459\">To find the correct set of transformation equations, assume the two coordinate systems\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>and S\u2032 in Figure 1.13. First suppose that an event occurs at\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1082-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>(x\u2032,0,0,t\u2032)<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-21-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"math\" id=\"MathJax-Span-359\"><span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-360\"><span class=\"semantics\" id=\"MathJax-Span-361\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-362\"><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-363\">S<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-364\">&#8216;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span>and at\u00a0(x,0,0,t)\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-22-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;(&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;)&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;(&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo stretchy=&quot;false&quot;&gt;)&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>, as depicted in the figure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_FrameRef\">\n<figure style=\"width: 526px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The axes of frames S and S prime are shown. S has axes x, y, and z. S prime is moving to the right with velocity v and has axes x prime, y prime and z prime. S and S prime are aligned along the horizontal x and x prime axes and are separated by a distance v t. An event on the horizontal x and x prime axes is indicated by a point which is a distance x from the y z plane of the S frame and a distance x prime from the y prime, z prime plane of the S prime frame.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"49752\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/a2b3997dff7a717555902ca3279bc1723837f76d\" width=\"526\" height=\"312\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1.13 An event occurs at (x, 0, 0, t) in S and at (x\u2032,0,0,t\u2032) in S\u2032. The Lorentz transformation equations relate events in the two systems.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793964531\">Suppose that at the instant that the origins of the coordinate systems in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>and <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1087-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>coincide, a flash bulb emits a spherically spreading pulse of light starting from the origin. At time\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>, an observer in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>finds the origin of S\u2032 to be at x=vt. With the help of a friend in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>, the S\u2032 observer also measures the distance from the event to the origin of\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1091-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0a<\/span>nd finds it to be x\u20321\u2212v2\/c2.<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-30-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\/&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\/&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>This follows because we have already shown the postulates of relativity to imply length contraction. Thus the position of the event in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>is<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793844075\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x=vt+x\u20321\u2212v2\/c2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794216281\">and<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794317258\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x\u2032=x\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793261732\">The postulates of relativity imply that the equation relating distance and time of the spherical wave front:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793877989\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x2+y2+z2\u2212c2t2=0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794061397\">must apply both in terms of primed and unprimed coordinates, which was shown above to lead to Equation 1.5:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793580546\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x2\u2212c2t2=x\u20322\u2212c2t\u20322.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794023693\">We combine this with the equation relating\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x\u00a0<\/em>and <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1097-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>x\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>to obtain the relation between\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>and t\u2032:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794227896\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t\u2032=t\u2212vx\/c21\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794333896\">The equations relating the time and position of the events as seen in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>are then<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793953460\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t=t\u2032+vx\u2032\/c21\u2212v2\/c2x=x\u2032+vt\u20321\u2212v2\/c2y=y\u2032z=z\u2032.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793882857\">This set of equations, relating the position and time in the two inertial frames, is known as the\u00a0<span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term170\">Lorentz transformation<\/span>. They are named in honor of H.A. Lorentz (1853\u20131928), who first proposed them. Interestingly, he justified the transformation on what was eventually discovered to be a fallacious hypothesis. The correct theoretical basis is Einstein\u2019s special theory of relativity.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793251224\">The reverse transformation expresses the variables in\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>in terms of those in S\u2032.\u00a0Simply interchanging the primed and unprimed variables and substituting gives:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794094175\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">t\u2032=t\u2212vx\/c21\u2212v2\/c2x\u2032=x\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2y\u2032=yz\u2032=z.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<header>\n<h3 class=\"os-title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">EXAMPLE<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.6<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">Using the Lorentz Transformation for Time<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<section>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793985684\"><strong>Using the Lorentz Transformation for Time<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Spacecraft S\u2032<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-41-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0\u2032<\/span><\/span>is on its way to Alpha Centauri when Spacecraft\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>passes it at relative speed\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>\/2. The captain of S\u2032 sends a radio signal that lasts 1.2 s according to that ship\u2019s clock. Use the Lorentz transformation to find the time interval of the signal measured by the communications officer of spaceship\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1172099482378\"><strong>Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-id1167793965234\" type=\"a\">\n<li>Identify the known:<span style=\"font-size: 14px\"> \u0394t\u2032=t2\u2032\u2212t1\u2032=1.2s;\u0394x\u2032=x\u20322\u2212x\u20321=0.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Identify the unknown: \u0394t=t2\u2212t1.<\/li>\n<li>Express the answer as an equation. The time signal starts as\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1107-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>(x\u2032,t1\u2032)<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>and stops at (x\u2032,t2\u2032). Note that the x\u2032coordinate of both events is the same because the clock is at rest in S\u2032. Write the first Lorentz transformation equation in terms of \u0394t=\u0394t\u20321\u2212v2c2.<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1112-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u00a0a<\/span><\/span><\/span>nd similarly for the primed coordinates, as:<br \/>\n<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793269813\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394t=\u0394t\u2032+v\u0394x\u2032\/c21\u2212v2c2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Because the position of the clock in S\u2032 is fixed, \u0394x\u2032=0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-53-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">,<\/span><\/span>and the time interval\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1116-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u0394t<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>becomes:<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793219268\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\n<p><span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-55-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;block&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u0394&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mi&gt;t&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msqrt&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mfrac&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;v&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;c&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msup&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/msqrt&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mfrac&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: center;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"math\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1000\"><span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1001\"><span class=\"semantics\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1002\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1003\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1004\"><span class=\"mtext\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1005\">\u0394<\/span><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1006\">t<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1007\">=<\/span><span class=\"mfrac\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1008\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1009\"><span class=\"mtext\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1010\">\u0394<\/span><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1011\">t<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1012\">&#8216;<\/span><\/span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1013\"><span class=\"msqrt\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1014\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1015\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1016\"><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1017\">1<\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1018\">\u2212<\/span><span class=\"mfrac\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1019\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1020\"><span class=\"msup\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1021\"><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1022\">v<\/span><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1023\">2<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1024\"><span class=\"msup\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1025\"><span class=\"mi\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1026\">c<\/span><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1027\">2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2212\u2212\u2212\u2212\u2212\u221a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"mo\" id=\"MathJax-Span-1028\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML MJX_Assistive_MathML_Block\" role=\"presentation\">\u0394t=\u0394t\u20321\u2212v2c2.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>Do the calculation.<br \/>\n<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span>With \u0394t\u2032=1.2s this gives:<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793355502\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394t=1.2s1\u2212(12)2=1.6s.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Note that the Lorentz transformation reproduces the time dilation equation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793450334\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<div data-type=\"example\" id=\"fs-id1167793886681\" class=\"ui-has-child-title\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\"><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<header>\n<h3 class=\"os-title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">EXAMPLE<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.7<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793427514\"><strong>Using the Lorentz Transformation for Length<br \/>\n<\/strong><br \/>\nA surveyor measures a street to be <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1120-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>L=100m<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-58-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;L&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot; \/&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;L&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot;&gt;&lt;\/mspace&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>long in Earth frame S. Use the Lorentz transformation to obtain an expression for its length measured from a spaceship S\u2032, moving by at speed 0.20\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>, assuming the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x\u00a0<\/em>coordinates of the two frames coincide at time t=0.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1172099601774\"><strong>Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-id1167793502848\" type=\"a\">\n<li>Identify the known:<span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1123-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>L=100m;v=0.20c;\u0394\u03c4=0.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Identify the unknown: L\u2032.<\/li>\n<li>Express the answer as an equation. The surveyor in frame S has measured the two ends of the stick simultaneously, and found them at rest at <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1125-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>x2<\/span><\/span><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>and x1 a distance <span>\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1127-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>L=x2\u2212x1=100m\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>apart. The spaceship crew measures the simultaneous location of the ends of the sticks in their frame. To relate the lengths recorded by observers in <span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1128-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>S\u2032\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>and S, respectively, write the second of the four Lorentz transformation equations as:<br \/>\n<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793776040\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">x\u20322\u2212x\u20321=x2\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2\u2212x1\u2212vt1\u2212v2\/c2=x2\u2212x11\u2212v2\/c2=L1\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>Do the calculation. Because x\u20322\u2212x\u20321=100m<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-68-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot; \/&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2212&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;x&lt;\/mi&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;\u2032&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;1&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;\/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;100&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mspace width=&quot;0.2em&quot;&gt;&lt;\/mspace&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;m&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;\/mo&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"MJX_Assistive_MathML\" role=\"presentation\">,<\/span><\/span>the length of the moving stick is equal to:<br \/>\n<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793570119\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">L\u2032=(100m)1\u2212v2\/c2=(100m)1\u2212(0.20)2=98.0m.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Note that the Lorentz transformation gave the length contraction equation for the street.<\/p>\n<header><\/header>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<header>\n<h3 class=\"os-title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">EXAMPLE<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.8<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793957709\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">Lorentz Transformation and Simultaneity\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The observer shown in\u00a0Figure 1.14\u00a0standing by the railroad tracks sees the two bulbs flash simultaneously at both ends of the 26 m long passenger car when the middle of the car passes him at a speed of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>\/2. Find the separation in time between when the bulbs flashed as seen by the train passenger seated in the middle of the car.<\/p>\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_LampsPart1\">\n<figure style=\"width: 817px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"An observer on the ground watches a train car that is moving to the right with velocity v. Inside, at each end of the train car are lamps, each emitting a signal that is propagating toward the center of the car, and in the center of the car sits a passenger.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"9503\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/f605bcf16835b1f16b3bfb5fc16bff9774346ba5\" width=\"817\" height=\"240\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1.14 A person watching a train go by observes two bulbs flash simultaneously at opposite ends of a passenger car. There is another passenger inside of the car observing the same flashes but from a different perspective.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1172101965379\"><strong>Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-id1167794292189\" type=\"a\">\n<li>Identify the known: \u0394t=0.<br \/>\n<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Note that the spatial separation of the two events is between the two lamps, not the distance of the lamp to the passenger.<\/li>\n<li>Identify the unknown: \u0394t\u2032=t2\u2032\u2212t1\u2032.<br \/>\n<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Again, note that the time interval is between the flashes of the lamps, not between arrival times for reaching the passenger.<\/li>\n<li>Express the answer as an equation:<br \/>\n<span data-type=\"newline\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793978802\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394t=\u0394t\u2032+v\u0394x\u2032\/c21\u2212v2\/c2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>Do the calculation:0=\u0394t\u2032+c2(26m)\/c21\u2212v2\/c2\u0394t\u2032=\u221226m\/s2c=\u221226m\/s2(3.00\u00d7108m\/s)\u0394t\u2032=\u22124.33\u00d710\u22128s.\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793610546\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\n<p><strong style=\"text-indent: 1em;font-size: 1rem\">Significance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793618027\">The sign indicates that the event with the larger x2\u2032, namely, the flash from the right, is seen to occur first in the S\u2032frame, as found earlier for this example, so that t2&lt;t1.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 1em;font-style: italic\">Space-time<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167794147477\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794147482\">Relativistic phenomena can be analyzed in terms of events in a four-dimensional\u00a0<span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term171\">space-time<\/span>. When phenomena such as the twin paradox, time dilation, length contraction, and the dependence of simultaneity on relative motion are viewed in this way, they are seen to be characteristic of the nature of space and time, rather than specific aspects of electromagnetism.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793978751\">In three-dimensional space, positions are specified by three coordinates on a set of Cartesian axes, and the displacement of one point from another is given by:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793978755\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">(\u0394x,\u0394y,\u0394z)=(x2\u2212x1,y2\u2212y1,z2\u2212z1).<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793944720\">The distance\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1140-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u0394r<\/span><\/span><\/span>between the points is<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794159489\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394r2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793984902\">The distance<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1142-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r<\/span><\/span><\/span>is invariant under a rotation of axes. If a new set of Cartesian axes rotated around the origin relative to the original axes are used, each point in space will have new coordinates in terms of the new axes, but the distance<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1143-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span>given by<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793952811\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394r\u20322=(\u0394x\u2032)2+(\u0394y\u2032)2+(\u0394z\u2032)2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794046730\">That has the same value that<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1145-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>had. Something similar happens with the Lorentz transformation in space-time.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793599610\">Define the separation between two events, each given by a set of<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">z\u00b8<\/em>and<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct<\/em>along a four-dimensional Cartesian system of axes in space-time, as<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793220217\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">(\u0394x,\u0394y,\u0394z,c\u0394t)=(x2\u2212x1,y2\u2212y1,z2\u2212z1,c(t2\u2212t1)).<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793372814\">Also define the space-time interval<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1147-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s<\/span><\/span><\/span>between the two events as<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793549811\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794206265\">If the two events have the same value of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct\u00a0<\/em>in the frame of reference considered,<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1149-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s<\/span><\/span><\/span>would correspond to the distance<span> \u0394r\u00a0<\/span>between points in space.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794206982\">The path of a particle through space-time consists of the events (<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">y<\/em>,<em data-effect=\"italics\">z\u00b8 ct<\/em>) specifying a location at each time of its motion. The path through space-time is called the\u00a0<span data-type=\"term\" id=\"term172\">world line\u00a0<\/span>of the particle. The world line of a particle that remains at rest at the same location is a straight line that is parallel to the time axis. If the particle moves at constant velocity parallel to the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis, its world line would be a sloped line<span> x=vt,\u00a0<\/span>corresponding to a simple displacement vs. time graph. If the particle accelerates, its world line is curved. The increment of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">s\u00a0<\/em>along the world line of the particle is given in differential form as<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794126378\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ds2=(dx)2+(dy)2+(dz)2\u2212c2(dt)2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793456297\">Just as the distance\u00a0<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1153-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>is invariant under rotation of the space axes, the space-time interval:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794051432\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793886697\">is invariant under the Lorentz transformation. This follows from the postulates of relativity, and can be seen also by substitution of the previous Lorentz transformation equations into the expression for the space-time interval:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793706076\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793706076\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1155-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2=(\u0394x\u2032+v\u0394t\u20321\u2212v2\/c2)2+(\u0394y\u2032)2+(\u0394z\u2032)2\u2212(c\u0394t\u2032+v\u0394x\u2032c21\u2212v2\/c2)2=(\u0394x\u2032)2+(\u0394y\u2032)2+(\u0394z\u2032)2\u2212(c\u0394t\u2032)2=\u0394s\u20322.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794328309\">In addition, the Lorentz transformation changes the coordinates of an event in time and space similarly to how a three-dimensional rotation changes old coordinates into new coordinates:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1163709712268\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1163709712268\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1156-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>Lorentz transformation Axis\u2013rotation around z-axis(x,tcoordinates):(x,ycoordinates):x\u2032=(\u03b3)x+(\u2212\u03b2\u03b3)ctx\u2032=(cos\u03b8)x+(sin\u03b8)yct\u2032=(\u2212\u03b2\u03b3)x+(\u03b3)cty\u2032=(\u2212sin\u03b8)x+(cos\u03b8)y<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793498474\">where\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1157-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\"><span>\u03b3=11\u2212\u03b22;\u03b2=v\/c.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793418412\">Lorentz transformations can be regarded as generalizations of spatial rotations to space-time. However, there are some differences between a three-dimensional axis rotation and a Lorentz transformation involving the time axis, because of differences in how the metric, or rule for measuring the displacements<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1158-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r<\/span><\/span><\/span>and<span> \u0394s,<\/span>differ. Although<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1160-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394r\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>is invariant under spatial rotations and<span> \u0394s<\/span>is invariant also under Lorentz transformation, the Lorentz transformation involving the time axis does not preserve some features, such as the axes remaining perpendicular or the length scale along each axis remaining the same.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793450269\">Note that the quantity<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1162-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s2\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>can have either sign, depending on the coordinates of the space-time events involved. For pairs of events that give it a negative sign, it is useful to define<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1163-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394\u03c42<\/span><\/span><\/span>as<span> \u2212\u0394s2.\u00a0<\/span>The significance of<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1165-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394\u03c4<\/span><\/span><\/span>as just defined follows by noting that in a frame of reference where the two events occur at the same location, we have<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1166-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394x=\u0394y=\u0394z=0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>and therefore (from the equation for<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1167-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394s2=\u2212\u0394\u03c42):<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793495057\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394\u03c42=\u2212\u0394s2=(\u0394t)2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793308071\">Therefore<span> \u0394\u03c4<\/span>is the time interval<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1170-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394t<\/span><\/span><\/span>in the frame of reference where both events occur at the same location. It is the same interval of proper time discussed earlier. It also follows from the relation between<span> \u0394s<\/span>and that<span> \u0394\u03c4\u00a0<\/span>that because<span> \u0394s<\/span>is Lorentz invariant, the proper time is also Lorentz invariant. All observers in all inertial frames agree on the proper time intervals between the same two events.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><span class=\"os-title-label\">CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING<span>\u00a01<\/span><\/span><span class=\"os-number\">.5<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"os-title\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\">Show that if a time increment\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 1rem\" data-effect=\"italics\">dt\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\">elapses for an observer who sees the particle moving with velocity\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 1rem\" data-effect=\"italics\">v<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\">, it corresponds to a proper time particle increment for the particle of<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\"> d\u03c4=\u03b3dt.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size: 1em\">The light cone<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793559889\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793559894\">We can deal with the difficulty of visualizing and sketching graphs in four dimensions by imagining the three spatial coordinates to be represented collectively by a horizontal axis, and the vertical axis to be the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct-<\/em>axis. Starting with a particular event in space-time as the origin of the space-time graph shown, the world line of a particle that remains at rest at the initial location of the event at the origin then is the time axis. Any plane through the time axis parallel to the spatial axes contains all the events that are simultaneous with each other and with the intersection of the plane and the time axis, as seen in the rest frame of the event at the origin.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793751964\">It is useful to picture a\u00a0<span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term173\">light cone\u00a0<\/span>on the graph, formed by the world lines of all light beams passing through the origin event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>, as shown in Figure 1.15. The light cone, according to the postulates of relativity, has sides at an angle of\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax\" id=\"MathJax-Element-113-Frame\" data-mathml=\"&lt;math xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1998\/Math\/MathML&quot; display=&quot;inline&quot;&gt;&lt;semantics&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;45&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u00b0&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;annotation-xml encoding=&quot;MathML-Content&quot;&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;45&lt;\/mn&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;\u00b0&lt;\/mtext&gt;&lt;\/mrow&gt;&lt;\/annotation-xml&gt;&lt;\/semantics&gt;&lt;\/math&gt;\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: normal;font-size: 14px;text-indent: 0px;text-align: left;letter-spacing: normal;float: none;direction: ltr;max-width: none;max-height: none;min-width: 0px;min-height: 0px;border: 0px;padding: 0px;margin: 0px\"><span class=\"math\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2497\"><span><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2498\"><span class=\"semantics\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2499\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2500\"><span class=\"mrow\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2501\"><span class=\"mn\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2502\">45<\/span><span class=\"mtext\" id=\"MathJax-Span-2503\">\u00b0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>if the time axis is measured in units of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">ct<\/em>, and, according to the postulates of relativity, the light cone remains the same in all inertial frames. Because the event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A\u00a0<\/em>is arbitrary, every point in the space-time diagram has a light cone associated with it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_LightCone\">\n<figure style=\"width: 330px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A space time diagram has a space on the horizontal axis and time on the vertical axis. The light cone is a vertical cone above the origin with its vertex at the origin and sides at 45 degrees, and another vertical cone below the origin with its vertex also at the origin. Three events are shown. Event A is at the origin. Event B is inside the light cone. Event C is outside the light cone.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"17920\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/cbd9b38e7c9b172a5118c7899933962ee1c4e03e\" width=\"330\" height=\"435\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1.15 The light cone consists of all the world lines followed by light from the event A at the vertex of the cone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793376150\">Consider now the world line of a particle through space-time. Any world line outside of the cone, such as one passing from\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A\u00a0<\/em>through\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">C<\/em>, would involve speeds greater than\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">c<\/em>, and would therefore not be possible. Events such as\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">C\u00a0<\/em>that lie outside the light cone are said to have a space-like separation from event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>. They are characterized by:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793418353\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAC2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&gt;0.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793589889\">An event like\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">B\u00a0<\/em>that lies in the upper cone is reachable without exceeding the speed of light in vacuum, and is characterized by<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793730467\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAB2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&lt;0.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793282566\">The event is said to have a time-like separation from\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>. Time-like events that fall into the upper half of the light cone occur at greater values of\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>than the time of the event\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A\u00a0<\/em>at the vertex and are in the future relative to\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">A<\/em>. Events that have time-like separation from A and fall in the lower half of the light cone are in the past, and can affect the event at the origin. The region outside the light cone is labeled as neither past nor future, but rather as \u201celsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793609380\">For any event that has a space-like separation from the event at the origin, it is possible to choose a time axis that will make the two events occur at the same time, so that the two events are simultaneous in some frame of reference. Therefore, which of the events with space-like separation comes before the other in time also depends on the frame of reference of the observer. Since space-like separations can be traversed only by exceeding the speed of light; this violation of which event can cause the other provides another argument for why particles cannot travel faster than the speed of light, as well as potential material for science fiction about time travel. Similarly for any event with time-like separation from the event at the origin, a frame of reference can be found that will make the events occur at the same location. Because the relations<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793609391\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAC2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&gt;0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793607280\">and<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793607283\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394sAB2=(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2+(xA\u2212xB)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2&lt;0.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793478377\">are Lorentz invariant, whether two events are time-like and can be made to occur at the same place or space-like and can be made to occur at the same time is the same for all observers. All observers in different inertial frames of reference agree on whether two events have a time-like or space-like separation.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793776059\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h4 data-type=\"title\">The twin paradox seen in space-time<\/h4>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793776064\">The\u00a0<span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term174\">twin paradox\u00a0<\/span>discussed earlier involves an astronaut twin traveling at near light speed to a distant star system, and returning to Earth. Because of time dilation, the space twin is predicted to age much less than the earthbound twin. This seems paradoxical because we might have expected at first glance for the relative motion to be symmetrical and naively thought it possible to also argue that the earthbound twin should age less.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793478379\">To analyze this in terms of a space-time diagram, assume that the origin of the axes used is fixed in Earth. The world line of the earthbound twin is then along the time axis.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793488591\">The world line of the astronaut twin, who travels to the distant star and then returns, must deviate from a straight line path in order to allow a return trip. As seen in Figure 1.16, the circumstances of the two twins are not at all symmetrical. Their paths in space-time are of manifestly different length. Specifically, the world line of the earthbound twin has length<span> 2c\u0394t,<\/span>which then gives the proper time that elapses for the earthbound twin as<span> 2\u0394t.<\/span>The distance to the distant star system is<span> \u0394x=v\u0394t.<\/span>The proper time that elapses for the space twin is<span> 2\u0394\u03c4<\/span>where<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793479976\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">c2\u0394\u03c42=\u2212\u0394s2=(c\u0394t)2\u2212(\u0394x)2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793940366\">This is considerably shorter than the proper time for the earthbound twin by the ratio<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793940369\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">c\u0394\u03c4c\u0394t=(c\u0394t)2\u2212(\u0394x)2(c\u0394t)2=(c\u0394t)2\u2212(v\u0394t)2(c\u0394t)2=1\u2212v2c2=1\u03b3.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794061884\">consistent with the time dilation formula. The twin paradox is therefore seen to be no paradox at all. The situation of the two twins is not symmetrical in the space-time diagram. The only surprise is perhaps that the seemingly longer path on the space-time diagram corresponds to the smaller proper time interval, because of how<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1186-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u0394\u03c4<\/span><\/span><\/span>and<span> \u0394s\u00a0<\/span>depend on<span> \u0394x\u00a0<\/span>and<span> \u0394t.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_SpaceTwins\">\n<figure style=\"width: 441px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The space time diagram has x on the horizontal axis and c t on the vertical axis. The light cone appears as 45 degree lines coming out of the origin. The earth twin world line is a vertical line on the c t axis. The first part of the space twin world line is a line leaving the origin at an angle larger than 45 degrees but less than 90 degrees. At a point that is a vertical distance c delta t and a horizontal distance delta x from the origin, the world line of the space twin bends back toward the c t axis and hits the c t axis a vertical distance c delta t from where it changed direction.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"94744\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/aea99e18fd06e2c2b96a1fa8d4f5b9374cbc36aa\" width=\"441\" height=\"257\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1.16 The space twin and the earthbound twin, in the twin paradox example, follow world lines of different length through space-time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167794042492\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h4 data-type=\"title\">Lorentz transformations in space-time<\/h4>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794076109\">We have already noted how the Lorentz transformation leaves<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167793604061\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">\u0394s2=(\u0394x)2+(\u0394y)2+(\u0394z)2\u2212(c\u0394t)2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793416418\">unchanged and corresponds to a rotation of axes in the four-dimensional space-time. If the S and<span> S\u2032<\/span>frames are in relative motion along their shared\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-direction the space and time axes of<span> S\u2032\u00a0<\/span>are rotated by an angle<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1193-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u03b1<\/span><\/span><\/span>as seen from S, in the way shown in shown in Figure 1.17, where:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794296565\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">tan\u03b1=vc=\u03b2.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794296588\">This differs from a rotation in the usual three-dimension sense, insofar as the two space-time axes rotate toward each other symmetrically in a scissors-like way, as shown. The rotation of the time and space axes are both through the same angle. The mesh of dashed lines parallel to the two axes show how coordinates of an event would be read along the primed axes. This would be done by following a line parallel to the<span> x\u2032\u00a0<\/span>and one parallel to the<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1196-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">t\u2032<\/span><\/span>-axis,\u00a0<\/span>as shown by the dashed lines. The length scale of both axes are changed by:<\/p>\n<div class=\"unnumbered\" data-label=\"\" data-type=\"equation\" id=\"fs-id1167794045745\">\n<div class=\"MathJax_Display\">ct\u2032=ct1+\u03b221\u2212\u03b22;x\u2032=x1+\u03b221\u2212\u03b22.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794032279\">The line labeled<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1198-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u201cv=c\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>at\u00a0<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1199-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">45\u00b0<\/span><\/span><\/span>to the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">x<\/em>-axis corresponds to the edge of the light cone, and is unaffected by the Lorentz transformation, in accordance with the second postulate of relativity. The<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1200-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">\u201cv=c\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>line, and the light cone it represents, are the same for both the\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">S\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1201-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">S\u2032<\/span><\/span><\/span>frame of reference.<\/p>\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_Lorentz\">\n<figure style=\"width: 427px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The space time diagram has axes x and c t. The v=c line is a line at 45 degrees. A second set of axes, x prime and c t prime, are also shown. These axes share the same origin as the x c t axes. The x prime axis is an angle alpha = inverse tangent (v\/c) above the x axis. The c t prime axis is the same angle alpha to the right of the c t axis. A set of dashed lines parallel to the x prime and c t prime axes are also shown.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"12761\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/24641c4f4962a669574b422bdc620db1d128174a\" width=\"427\" height=\"435\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1.17 The Lorentz transformation results in new space and time axes rotated in a scissors-like way with respect to the original axes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-id1167793358405\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h4 data-type=\"title\">Simultaneity<\/h4>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793358410\"><span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\" id=\"term175\">Simultaneity\u00a0<\/span>of events at separated locations depends on the frame of reference used to describe them, as given by the scissors-like \u201crotation\u201d to new time and space coordinates as described. If two events have the same\u00a0<em data-effect=\"italics\">t\u00a0<\/em>values in the unprimed frame of reference, they need not have the same values measured along the<span> ct\u2032-axis,<\/span>and would then not be simultaneous in the primed frame.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167794199252\">As a specific example, consider the near-light-speed train in which flash lamps at the two ends of the car have flashed simultaneously in the frame of reference of an observer on the ground. The space-time graph is shown Figure 1.18. The flashes of the two lamps are represented by the dots labeled \u201cLeft flash lamp\u201d and \u201cRight flash lamp\u201d that lie on the light cone in the past. The world line of both pulses travel along the edge of the light cone to arrive at the observer on the ground simultaneously. Their arrival is the event at the origin. They therefore had to be emitted simultaneously in the unprimed frame, as represented by the point labeled as<em data-effect=\"italics\">t<\/em>(both). But time is measured along the<span> ct\u2032-axis\u00a0<\/span>in the frame of reference of the observer seated in the middle of the train car. So in her frame of reference, the emission event of the bulbs labeled as<span><span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1204-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">t\u2032<\/span><\/span>\u00a0(left) and\u00a0<span class=\"MathJax_MathML\" id=\"MathJax-Element-1205-Frame\"><span class=\"MathJax_MathContainer\">t\u2032<\/span><\/span>\u00a0(right)\u00a0<\/span>were not simultaneous.<\/p>\n<div class=\"os-figure\">\n<figure id=\"CNX_UPhysics_38_05_STtrain\">\n<figure style=\"width: 597px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The ground observer and the train, moving to the right at velocity v and with flash lamps at either end and a passenger in the center, are shown below a space time graph of the example. The horizontal and vertical axes of the space time diagram are the x and c t axes. The passenger is at x=0. The flashes are equidistant to the left and right of x=0 and are shown at the same time, t&lt;0. Light lines from each flash pass through the origin at 45 degrees and are labeled as v=c. The event t (both) is labeled where the horizontal line connecting the left and right flash events crosses the c t axis. The x prime axis is between the + 45 degree light line and the x axis. The c t prime axis is between the +45 degree light line and the vertical c t axis. A dashed line that is parallel to the x prime axis and passes through the left flash event is shown. The point where it crosses the c t prime axis is labeled as t prime (left). Another dashed line that is parallel to the x prime axis and passes through the right flash event is shown. The point where this second dashed line crosses the c t prime axis is labeled as t prime (right). The t prime (right) point is lower on the c t prime axis than the t prime (left) point.\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" id=\"37957\" src=\"https:\/\/cnx.org\/resources\/6c3f71a2baf656d4ce092afed8e25b6814692924\" width=\"597\" height=\"627\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1.18 The train example revisited. The flashes occur at the same time t (both) along the time axis of the ground observer, but at different times, along the t\u2032 time axis of the passenger.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1167793547981\">In terms of the space-time diagram, the two observers are merely using different time axes for the same events because they are in different inertial frames, and the conclusions of both observers are equally valid. As the analysis in terms of the space-time diagrams further suggests, the property of how simultaneity of events depends on the frame of reference results from the properties of space and time itself, rather than from anything specifically about electromagnetism.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\"><em>Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/af275420-6050-4707-995c-57b9cc13c358@11.1<\/em><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":615,"menu_order":6,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"1. 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