Relativity

The principle of Newtonian Relativity

Inertial frame
:The frame is moving with a constant velocity v.

y y

v vi

x x

z z
x x vt
y y Galilean transformation of Coordinates
z z
t t

dx dx
ux v ux v
dt dt
uy u y
uz u z
Michelson-Morley Experiment
Mechanical waves and sound waves need a media.
In 19C, light is Electromagnetic wave and need a media.

Luminiferous ether : massless but rigid

Absolute frame : at rest with respect to the luminiferous ether.

A. A. Michelson and E. W. Morley

Determine the velocity of the Earth
with respect to the ether.
Using Interferometer

No change in the light speed

by the motion of the Earth.
Einsteins Principle of Relativity
Failure of Galilean transformation.
(failure of the consideration through Ether.)
Two postulates
1. The principle of Relativity : All the law of physics are
the same in all inertial reference frame.
2. The Constancy of the Sped of Light :
c = 3.00 108 m/s. No change in the speed of light.

Postulate 1: Generalize the Newtonian Relativity

(No absolute frame)
Postulate 2: Light always moves with a speed c in all
inertial frame.

Consequences of Special Relativity

the distance between two points Depends on the

the time interval between two events measurement frame

No absolute time, No absolute length!!

Newtonian Einsteinian
No absolute Coordinate No absolute Coordinate
Absolute time interval No Absolute time interval
(Inertial frame) (Measurement frame with
Coordinate and time)
But the speed of light is
always c = 3.00 108 m/s.
 Time dilation

2d
t p t 2 t1
c
t t2 t1

ct vt
2 2

d
2

2 2
2d 2d
t t p
c v
2 2
c 1 v
2

c2

1 v
2

c2 1
2
1

The time interval t at the moving frame is longer than the interval
t at the rest frame.
Proper time
The proper time is always the time interval measured with a
single clock at rest in the frame in which the events takes place at
the same position.
Example of a Muon decay

Muon : -e, 207 me

lifetime t = 2.2 ms

v = 0.99c

In the Muon frame: l vt 600m

0.99c 2.2 10 6 sec 2 10 6 c 600m

In the Earth frame: t t

7.1 t 16ms
l vt 4800m

Length Contraction

Proper length : the length of the object measured by someone

who is at rest relative to the object.
Lp
t
v
t t P
LP vt LP
L vt p

L Lp 1 v
2

c2 1
2

Length Contraction
 v
1
v 2
2
L L 1 2 L
c

10 years
v (the North Star)

1000 light year

1
v 2 2
v2 1
100 1 2 1 2 4
c c 10

v 0.99995c

If an astronaut travels to the north star and return, it takes

20 years. But the clock at the earth: 2000 years.

Twin paradox

Speedo and Goslo

The Lorentz Transformation Equations
( x, y , z , t ) ( x, y, z , t )
x ( x vt)
y y
P y y
z z
v
O x O x t t 2 x
v c
z z
x ( x vt )
y y When v << c ,
z z v 2 c 2 1 1
v x x vt
t t 2 x
c y y
z z
ct ct
Galilean transformation

x x vt
v s s
t t 2 x
c

x (x vt )
s s
v
t t 2 x
c
 Velocity
dx dx (dx vdt)
u x
dt v
dt dt 2 dx
dx vdt c

v
dt 2 dx
c
u v
ux x
v
1 2 u x
c
uy uz
uy ,u z
u u
1 2x v 1 2x v
c c

If v, u x c

ux u x v uy u y uz uz

If u x c
cv
ux c
1 v c

u v u y u z
ux x uy uz
u v vu vu
1 x2 1 2x 1 2x
c c c
 Example 9.5 Relative velocity of Spaceship

v = 0.75c v = -0.85c
A B

Velocity of B with respect to A? v = 0.75c

ux = -0.85c
ux v 0.85c 0.75c
ux 0.98c
u x v 1 0.85 0.75
1 2
c
Relativistic Momentum and Newtons Laws

Newtonian mometum p m u is not conserved !!

But a momentum p must be conserved in all collisions.

p mu as u 0

The relativistic momentum is defined as

p
mu
1 u
2

mu
1 u
2

c2 1
2

c2

du u d u du
dp m mu 2 m
F dt c dt dt
3/ 2 3/ 2
dt u2 u2 u2
1 2 1 2 1 2
c c c

3 ma
Relativistic Energy
x2 x m du x dt u mu
W F dx dx du
x1 0
1 u 2
c
2 3/ 2 0
1 u 2
c
2 3/ 2

mc2
mc2
u2
1 2
c

mc2
K mc2 mc2 mc2
u2
1 2
c
At low velocity

1 x
2 2
1
1
1 2
2
x x 1
1
v 2 2
1 v2
1 2 1 2
c 2c
2 1 v2 1 2 Newtonian
K mc 1
2
mc 2
mv
Kinetic Energy
2c 2

Total Energy
mc2
E mc2 K mc2
v2
1 2
c
Rest Energy
 2 4
m c
E 2 2 m 2c 4
u2
1 2
c

p 2 c 2 (mc 2 ) 2 2 m 2u 2 c 2 (mc 2 ) 2 m 2 c 2 ( 2u 2 c 2 )
2 u
2
m c 1 2
2 4

u2 u2
2 1 2 2
2 u c c 2
1 2
c u2
1 2
c

E 2 p 2c 2 (mc2 ) 2

If m 0
E pc ; Photon

Rest Energy

me c 2 0.511MeV ; Electron

m p c 2 938MeV ; Proton
mn c 2 940MeV ; Neutron
Mass as a Measure of Energy
L Momentum conservation
pE v c
c
L Mv E
v c
c
vE t L
Mc c
EL
x vt
Mc 2
Kinetic mass of Pulse of light (Center of mass of the box is fixed)
mk L Mx

Mx M EL E
mk 2
2
L L Mc c
E mk c 2
If a body gives off the energy E in the form of radiation,
its mass diminishes by E/c2.

Conservation of mass-energy

mu 2
Et mc2
2
1 u
c2
9-9. General Relativity

Einsteins assumptions for the general relativity

All the laws of nature have the same form for observers in any
frame of reference, whether accelerated or not.
The Gravitational field is equivalent to an accelerated frame of
reference.