Scribd
Upload
577 views

Chapter 1 Relativity

This document summarizes key concepts from chapter 1 of a relativity textbook, including: - The two postulates of special relativity and Lorentz transformations. - Phenomena like time dilation, length contraction, Doppler effect, and relativistic mechanics that arise from special relativity. - General relativity concepts like equivalence principle and gravitational lensing are also introduced.

Uploaded by

sudipmatthews
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
577 views

Chapter 1 Relativity

This document summarizes key concepts from chapter 1 of a relativity textbook, including: - The two postulates of special relativity and Lorentz transformations. - Phenomena like time dilation, length contraction, Doppler effect, and relativistic mechanics that arise from special relativity. - General relativity concepts like equivalence principle and gravitational lensing are also introduced.

Uploaded by

sudipmatthews
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

Chapter 1 Relativity

1-1 Postulates of Special Relativity and Lorentz Transformation


The 1st postulate: The laws of physics may be expressed in equations having the
same form in all frames of reference moving at constant velocity with respect to one
another.
The 2nd postulate: The speed of light in free spaces has the same value for all
observers, regardless of their state of motion.
Eg. (a) Phenomenon of relativity. (b) Classical phenomenon.

x ' = x vt
x = x'+vt '
y' = y
y = y'

Galilean transformation in classical physics:


and
.
z
'
=
z
z
=
z
'

t ' = t
t = t '


x' =

Lorentz transformation in relativity:

t' =

x vt
1 v / c
y' = y
z' = z
t vx / c 2
2

1 v2 / c2

x =

and

t =

x'+v' t '
1 v2 / c2
y = y'
.
z = z'
t '+v' x' / c 2
1 v2 / c2

Proof of Lorentz transformation: Suppose that a flare is set off at a common origin
of S and S at t=t=0, and the observers in each system proceed to measure the speed
light c at x and x, respectively. We have x=ct and x=ct.
x' = k ( x vt )
x = k ( x'+ vt ' )

y' = y
y = y'

Let
and
x=k[k(x-vt)+vt]=k2(x-vt)+kvt
z' = z
z = z'

t ' = f (t , x, v)
t = f 1 (t ' , x' , v' )
(1 k 2 ) x
(1 k 2 ) x
1 v / c
x=k(x-vt)=ct=c[kt+
] x=ct[
]=ct
kv
kv
1 + (1 1 / k 2 )c / v
1
1 v / c

=1 k=
. Lorentz transformation holds.
2
1 + (1 1 / k )c / v
1 v2 / c2
t=kt+

Lorentz contraction: An observer in S measures the length of a moving rod, of


which ends to x1 and x2 in S. The length in S is
x 2 x1
L
L0=x1-x2=
=
, where L=x1-x2 in S L= L0( 1 v 2 / c 2 )<L0.
2
2
2
2
1 v / c
1 v / c
The length of an object in motion with respect to an observer is shorter than it is at
rest with respect to him.
Eg. A meter stick appear only 50cm long to an observer. What is its relative
velocity? How long does it take to pass the observer?
(Sol,) 0.5=1( 1 v 2 / c 2 ) v=

3
c, t=0.5/v=1.9210-9sec
2

Time dilation: A clock is at xin S. When an observer in S find the time is t1, after a
time interval t0, and the time is up to t2 (all in S). The observer in S find the time
t0
t 2 't1 '
interval is t=t2-t1=
=
>t0. A stationary clock measure a
2
2
2
2
1 v / c
1 v / c
longer time interval between events occurring in a moving frame of reference than a
clock does in the moving frame.
Eg. (Twin paradox) A woman leaves the earth in a spacecraft that makes a round
trip to a star, 4 light-year distant, at a speed of 0.9c. How many years younger is
she upon her return than his twin sister who remained behind?
(Sol.) 24c/0.9c-24c( 1 v 2 / c 2 )/0.9c=5.01years

Another simple formulation of time dilation:


(a):
(b):

(a) A light-pulse clock at rest as seen by observer in S, the time interval t0 is the light
pulse travel between mirrors. Therefore we have t0=2L0/c.
(b) A light-pulse clock in S as seen by observer in S, and hence we have
t0
(ct/2)2= L02+(vt/2) 2, L0=ct0/2 t=
1 v2 / c2
Simultaneity: Consider that a pair of time-bombs explodes at the same time t0 at x1
and x2 in S, respectively. But in S, t1=

t2-t1=

v( x1 x 2 ) / c 2

in S frame.

1 v2 / c2

t 0 vx1 / c 2
1 v2 / c2

, t2=

t 0 vx 2 / c 2
1 v2 / c2

0 if x2x2, The explosions do not simultaneously occur

Relativistic velocities: Define Vx=dx/dt, Vy=dy/dt, Vz=dz/dt in S, and Vx=dx/dt,


Vy=dy/dt, Vz=dz/dt in S.

vdz '
dx'+vdt '
c 2 , we have
dx=
, dy=dy, dz=dz, dt=
1 v2 / c2
1 v2 / c2
dt '+

'
V
v
V v
+
dx dx + vdt '
Vx ' = x
=
= x
V x =

vdx'
vV '
vV
dt

dt '+ 2
1 + 2x
1 2x
c
c
c

2
2

Vy ' 1 v / c
Vy 1 v 2 / c 2

and V y ' =
.
Vy =

vV x '
vV x

1+ 2
1 2

c
c
2
2

V ' 1 v / c
V 1 v2 / c2

V z ' = z
Vz = z
vV '
vV

1 + 2x
1 2x

c
c
Eg. Spacecraft A has a velocity with respect to the earth of 0.9c. If spacecraft B is
to pass spacecraft A at a relative velocity 0.5c, what velocity must spacecraft B
have with respect to the earth?
(Sol.) Vx=

V x '+ v
0.5c + 0.9c
=0.9655c
=
'
0.5c 0.9c
vVx
1+
1+ 2
c2
c

Eg. Show that c is a universal constant.


(Proof) Vx=

V x 'v
cv
=c
=
'
cv
vVx
1 2
1 2
c
c

1-2 Relativistic Mechanics

Suppose A and B collide at y=0.5Y, and VA=VB. The round-trip time T0 for A
measured in S is T0=Y/VA, which is identical T0=Y/VB in S.
mBY
mBY
=
mAVA=mBVB=mBY/T=
mA=mB 1 v 2 / c 2 .
Y
1
T0

2
2
1 v 2 / c 2 VA 1 v / c
Let mA=m0, mB=m m=
Momentum: p=mv=

m0
1 v2 / c2
m0 v

1 v2 / c2
Force: F=dp/dt=mdv/dt+vdm/dt
s
s d ( mv )
v
v
m0 v
Kinetic energy: T= Fds =
ds = vd (mv) = vd (
)
0
0
0
0
2
2
dt
1 v / c
=

m0 v 2
1 v2 / c2

vdv

1 v / c

-m0

m0 v 2
1 v2 / c2

+m0c2( 1 v 2 / c 2

v
0

)=mc2-m0c2.

Eg. An electron has a kinetic energy of 0.1MeV. Find its velocity according to
classical and relativistic mechanics.
(Sol.) Classical mechanics:
0.1MeV=0.11061.60210-19=1.60210-14J=9.10910-31v2/2 v=1.87108m/sec
Relativistic mechanics:
T=1.60210-14=mc2-m0c2=9.10910-31c2[

1
1 v / c
2

-1] =1.64108m/sec

Total energy: E=mc2=T+m0c2


Eg. Dynamite liberates 5.6106J/Kg when it explodes. What fraction of its total
energy contents in this?
(Sol.) Suppose that the dynamite is 1Kg.
E=mc2=91016, 5.6106/91016=610-11

1-3 Doppler Effect


Classical Doppler effect: f=f0(

1+ v / w
), where w is the velocity of wave, v is the
1V / w

velocity of observer, and V is the velocity of source.


1. v>0 if the observer moves toward the source; v<0 if the observer moves away from
the source.
2. V>0 if the source moves toward the observer; V<0 if the source moves away from
the observer.
Eg. The velocity of sound is 340m/sec. A train generates some noise as high as
3000Hz when its velocity is 50m/sec away from an observer who is standing at a
fixed position. What frequency does he hear?
(Sol.) f0=3000, w=340, v=0, V=-50, f=f0(

1+ v / w
)=2615.3Hz
1V / w

1 v2 / c2
), where is the angle between the
1 v cos / c
moving direction of the light source and the line from the source to an observer. And v
is the relative velocity of the source (v>0 if the source and the observer approaching
each other; v<0 if they move away from each other).
Doppler effect in relativity: f=f0(

Special case 1: Longitudinal Doppler effect, =0 f=f0

1+ v / c
1 v / c

Special case 2: Transverse Doppler effect, =/2 f=f0( 1 v 2 / c 2 )


Eg. A spacecraft receding from the earth at 0.97c transmits data at the rate of
104pulse/sec. At what rate are they received?
(Sol.) v=-0.97c, f0=104, f=f0

1+ v / c
=1.234103pulse/sec
1 v / c

Eg. (Red shift) A distant galaxy in the constellation Hydra is receding from the
earth at 6.12107m/sec. By how much is a green spectral line of wavelength
500nm emitted by this galaxy shifted toward the red end of the spectrum?
(Sol.) v=-6.12107, 0=500, f=f0

1+ v / c
1 v / c
=0
=615nm
1 v / c
1+ v / c

1-4 Some Phenomena of General Relativity


The principle of equivalence: An
observer in a closed laboratory can not
distinguish between the effects
produced by a gravitational field and
those produced by an acceleration of
the laboratory.

Starlight passing near the sun is deflected by suns strong gravitational field: This
phenomenon has been proved by observing and measuring the precession of the
perihelion of Mercurys orbit.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy