SPECIAL RELATIVITY

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Tran Thi Ngoc Dung – Huynh Quang Linh – Physics A2 HCMUT 2016
OUTLINES
• Einstein’s Postulates
• Lorentz Transformation
• The Lorentz Velocity Transformation
• Relativity of Simultaneity
• Relativity of Length –Contraction of length
• Relativity of Time interval –Time dilatation
• Invariance of Space –Time interval
• Relativistic Dynamics
• Relativistic Energy, Relativistic Kinetic energy
Einstein’s Postulates
Einstein’s first postulate, called the principle
of relativity,states:The laws of physics are the
same in all inertial frames of reference.
Einstein’s second postulate
dW
postulate
dt states: The
speed of light in vacuum is the same in all
inertial frames of reference and is
independent of the motion of the source
An inertial frame of reference is a frame of reference that describes
time and space homogeneously, isotropically, and in a time-
independent manner. The physics of a system in an inertial frame
have no causes external to the system. All inertial frames are in a
state of constant, rectilinear motion with respect to one another.
The Ultimate Speed Limit
Einstein’s second postulate immediately implies the
following result: It is impossible for an inertial observer to
travel at c, the speed of light in vacuum.
We can prove this by showing that travel at c implies a logical contradiction.
Suppose that the spacecraft is moving at the speed of light c relative to an
observer on the earth, so that If the spacecraft turns on a headlight, the
second postulate now asserts that the earth observer measures the
headlight beam to be also moving at c Thus this observer measures that the
headlight beam and the spacecraft move together and are always at the
same point in space. But Einstein’s second postulate also asserts that the
headlight beam moves at a speed relative to the spacecraft, so they cannot
be at the same point in space. This contradictory result can be avoided only
if it is impossible for an inertial observer, such as a passenger on the
spacecraft, to move at c. As we go through our discussion of relativity, you
may find yourself asking the question Einstein asked himself as a 16-year-
old student, “What would I see if I were traveling at the speed of light?”
Einstein realized only years later that his question’s basic flaw was that he
could nottravel at c
 All observers see light flashes
go by them with the same speed

v
No matter how fast the
guy on the rocket
is moving!! c

Both guys see the light flash

travel with velocity = c

Even when the light flash is
traveling in an opposite direction

Both guys see the light flash

travel past with velocity = c

The Lorentz Coordinate
Transformation
Event A observed in reference frame O at y y’ t’
(x,y,z,t) , is observed at in ereference frame
O’(x’,y’,z’,t’) t V=const

The relationships between (x,y,z,t) and

(x’,y’,z’,t’) are given by the Lorentz x’
Coordinate Transformation O O’
x
t=t’=0 , O O’
z z’
v
t x
x vt c 2
x' 2
; y' y; z' z; t'
v v2
1 1
c2 c2
v
t' 2 x'
x ' vt ' c
x 2
; y y' ; z z' ; t
v v2
1 1
c2 c2
 Derivation of The Lorentz
Coordinate Transformation
t=t’=0 , O O’ y y’ t’
t V=const
x' ( x vt )
x ( x ' vt ' )
ct ' (ct vt ) x’
ct (ct ' vt ' ) O O’
c 2 tt ' 2 2
(c v 2 ) tt '
1 x
v2 z z’
1
c2
v
ct ' (ct x)
c
v
t' (t 2
x)
c v
t' 2
x'
x ' vt ' c
x ; y y' ; z z' ; t
v2 v2
1 2
1
c c2
The Lorentz Velocity
Transformation
The relationships between The velocity of a point mass in
the RF O and RF O’ u(u x , u y , u z ), u' (u'x , u'y , u'z )

v2 v2
uy 1 2
uz 1
u 'x
ux v
; u 'y c ; u 'z c2
v v v
1 2
ux 1 2
ux 1 2
ux
c c c
v2 v2
u 'y 1 u 'z 1
u 'x v c 2
c2
ux ; uy ; uz
v v v
1 2
u'x 1 2
u'x 1 2
u'x
c c c
DERIVATION: u(u x , u y , u z ), u' (u'x , u'y , u'z )
v
dt 2
dx
dx vdt c
dx ' ; dy' dy, dz ' dz, dt '
v2 v2
1 2
1
c c2
dx vdt
v2 dx
1 v
dx ' c2 dt u'x
ux v
dt ' v v dx v
dt 2
dx 1 1 ux
c c 2 dt c 2

v2
1
c2
v2 dy v2 v2
dy 1 2
1 uy 1
dy' c dt c2 u'y c2
dt ' v v dx v
dt 2
dx 1 1 ux
c c 2 dt c 2

v2 dz v2 v2
dz 1 2
1 uz 1
dz ' c dt c2 u 'z c2
dt ' v v dx v
dt 2
dx 1 1 ux
c c 2 dt c 2
 u'x v 0 .7 0 .9
ux c 0.981c
v 1 ( 0 .7 0 . 9 ) y y’
1 2 u'x t’
c t V=0.9c
ux v 0.95 0.9
u'x 0.345c
v 1 (0.95 * 0.9) O’=spaceship
1 2 ux x’
c O=Earth
x
z z’
Relativity of Simultaneity
In RF O, two events A and B happen simultaneously :tA=tB
In RF O’, two events A and B happen at time, t’A,t’B given by:

B occurs v v
tA xA tB xB
y y’ before A c2 c2
t 'A t 'B
v v2 v2
1 2 1 2
c c
v
O’ (t B tA ) (x B xA )
O x’ ' ' c2
t t
x B A
v2
xA xB 1 2
z’
z tA tB c
tB tA, xB xA t 'B t 'A
A occurs v
before B 2
(x B xA )
A and B t '
t ' c xB xA t 'B t 'A
B A
occur v v2
1 2
simultaneou c
sly O’
’
Relativity of Length –Contraction of length
A rod of length lo, at rest in RF O’
The length of the rod in RF O ? You must mark the two ends of the rod at
the same time in RF O to measure the
length.
Chiều thanh là lo
y y’ 2
v
v o 1
O’ x’A x’B x’ c2
O o
x
z z’
x vt xA vt A xB vt B
x' x 'A ; x 'B
v2 v2 v2
The length l <lo 1 2 1 2 1 2
c c c
The proper length is the
xB xA v2
longest one x 'B x 'A o 1 2
v2 c
o 1 2
c
How long is the spaceship?
A spaceship flies past earth at a speed of 0.990c. A crew member
on board the spaceship measures its length, obtaining the value
400 m. What length do observers measure on earth?

v2
o 1 2
400 1 0.99 2 56.43m
c
Relativity of Time Intervals –Time
Dilation
Dilatation In a particular frame of reference, suppose
that two events occur at the same point in
space. The time interval between these
events, as measured by an observer at rest in
this
onesame frame (which we call the rest frame
y y’ of this observer), is to. Then an observer in a
t’=t’2-t’1
v second frame moving with constant speed v
x’A, relative to the rest frame will measure the time
O O’ t'
x’ v
x t' x'
z z’ c 2
t ; x' 0
v2
t' 1
t t' c2
v2 t 'o
1 2 t t 'o
c
v2
1
c2
Proper Time (Thời gian riêng)

There is only one frame of reference in which a

clock is at rest, and there are infinitely many in
which it is moving. Therefore the time interval
measured between two events (such as two ticks of
the clock) that occur at the same point in a particular
frame is a more fundamental quantity than the
interval between events at different points. We use
the term proper time to describe the time interval
between two events that occur at the same
point.
 INVARIANCE OF SPACE-TIME INTERVAL –
Two events A and B occurs in RF A( x A , y A , z A , t A ); B( x B , y B , z B , t B )
O and O’ . The space-time interval
A( x 'A , y'A , z'A , t 'A ); B( x 'B , y'B , z'B , t 'B )
between them in RF O and O’ are:
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
s c t s' c t' '

s2 c2 t 2 2
c2 (t B t A ) 2 [(x B x A )2 (yB yA )2 (z B z A )2 ]
s '2 c 2 t '2 '2 c 2 ( t 'B t 'A ) 2 [(x 'B x 'A ) 2 ( y 'B y 'A ) 2 ( z 'B z 'A ) 2 ]

SPACE-TIME INTERVAL doesn’t depend on the RF.

2 2
s s'
RELATIVISTIC DYNAMICS
dp
Classical dynamics v<<c, m const , F ma
dt
Relativistic dynamics: v c,

m
mo dp mo v
v2
1 2
F p mv
v2
1 2
c dt c

A rapidly moving particle undergoes an increase in mass.

RELATIVISTIC ENERGY
dp d
dW F.d s .d s (mv).d s
dt dt
dm dv dm dv
dW .v m .d s .v m .vdt E m
dt dt dt dt W dE c 2 dm mc 2 moc2
dW dm 2 dv
.v mv Eo mo
dt dt dt
dm mo v dv mo d 1 2 E Eo mc 2 moc2 E mc 2
2 2
( v )
dt 2 v 3/ 2 dt 2 v 3/ 2 dt 2
c (1 2 ) c (1 2 )
c c
2
E mc
2
v
mo 2
dW c d 1 2 mo d 1 2
2
( v ). 2
( v )
dt v dt 2 v dt 2
(1 2 ) 3 / 2 (1 2 )1 / 2
c c
2 2
v v
m o 2 (1 2 )m o
dW c c d 1 2 mo v dv dm
( v ) c2
dt v2 3 / 2 dt 2 v 2 3 / 2 dt dt
(1 2 ) (1 2 )
c c
2
W mc
Relativistic Kinetic Energy

moc2 2 2 1
EK E Eo moc moc 1
v2 v2
1 2
1 2
c c
2 v2 1/ 2 1
v c : EK moc (1 2
) 1 mo v2
c 2
1
EK mo v2 (Taylor expansion)
2
Relationship between E and p

2 2 2 2
E pc E o