On Reduction of Relative Velocity with

Relation to Space-Time Co-ordinate

In addition, with Special Theory of Relativity by Albert Einstein, 1905

Tathagata Dey a,d,e, Ananda Mukherjee b,d, Subham Ghosal c,d

a
Computer Science & Engineering Dept., Govt. College of engineering, Serampore, Kolkata
b
Mathematics Department, Ramakrishna Mission, Rahara, Kolkata
c
Electrical engineering Dept., Techno India Main Campus, Saltlake, Kolkata
d
Jagadis Bose National Science Talent Search, Kolkata
e
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Education, Kolkata

Introduction:
In formal Physics and general Mathematics there is a very well-known concept
known as Frame of Reference. We assume a frame to be a spatial organisation
of objects which is unchanged with respect to a time period for which an
observer identifies any event from that frame. The reason I mentioned ‘general
mathematics’ along with formal physics is that these frames follow simple
mathematical co-ordinate shifting equations with respect to real world, i.e.
Galilean Transformations.1

In the year 1905, Albert Einstein came up with a great paper named as ‘Zur
Elektrodynamik bewegter Korper’ or ‘On the Electrodynamics of Moving
Bodies’ which later on introduced the world with the famous ‘Special Theory
of Relativity’ or S.T.R. Now by referring to as ‘famous’ I exaggerate the wide
range of application and the new era of modern physics that has been opened
and that helped us to learn more about macroscopic events, astrophysics,
celestial objects, universe, gravity and many more.

Special Theory of Relativity has two postulates. The first one tells us about
time dilation, length contraction, coordinate shifts etc. while the second
postulate says that velocity of light is constant and maximum achievable in
this universe. This theory is based on the assumption that out of two reference
frames, one is in motion with respect to the other and the relative velocity is
well defined and finite. Now a question arises here that, what if the relative
velocity itself changes. Einstein believed in simplicity of the universe, so
keeping that fact in mind, we see position, time changes. So, intuition tells us
why relative velocities does not depend on space-time.

In this article we try to show the little change in relative velocities considering
the postulates of Special Theory of Relativity to be true.

1Galilean Transformations are a set of equations which direct us to link the physical
phenomena of two different frame of References.
Theory:
We imagine two particles in a co-ordinate system. Suppose we name them as
P1 and P2. P1 lies at (0,0) and P2 lies at (𝑙, 0). Both of them is capable of moving
but only in x-axis, with velocities 𝑣1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣2 respectively.

Figure 1: particles P1 and P2 are shown

Now, we want to calculate our relative velocity over a time period ∆𝑡 which
should be very small. Another assumption is that we want to calculate the
whole concept from particle P1, so in our case,

𝑣𝑟 = 𝑉𝑃2,𝑃1

Now, at t=0, both the particles start moving along x-axis. Say, at 𝑡 = ∆𝑡 we
consider their positions. The particle P1 has moved to a position
(𝑥1 , 0) 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 (0,0) while particle P2 has moved to (𝑙 + 𝑥2 , 0) 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 (𝑙, 0).

So, equations stand as,

𝑥1 = 𝑣1 ∆𝑡 ……………. (1)

𝑥2 = 𝑣2 ∆𝑡 …………….. (2)

But we know that however minimum it is, light still requires some time to
travel. So, observer in P1 can never observe the exact position of P2 at 𝑡 = ∆𝑡.
So, the light that reaches P1 at 𝑡 = ∆𝑡 must have left P2 some time ago, which
does not show the exact position of P2 at 𝑡 = ∆𝑡.

Hence, we consider that according to observer at P1 the position of P2 at 𝑡 = ∆𝑡

is (𝑙 + 𝑥3 , 0).

So, P2 is observed to travel (𝑥2 − 𝑥3 ) less distance than actual. This the
distance whose time is required by light to reach P1 covering the in between
distance.
(𝑥2 −𝑥3 )
The time saved by traveling this less distance is .
𝑣2

And, distance travelled by light is equal to {(𝑙 + 𝑥3 ) − 𝑥1 }.

So, our equation is,

𝑥2 − 𝑥3 𝑙 + 𝑥3 − 𝑥1
=
𝑣2 𝑐

…….. (3)

Where, c= velocity of light =3 × 108 𝑚. 𝑠 −2

Solving this equation,

𝑥2 𝑥3 𝑙 𝑥3 𝑥1
𝑜𝑟, − = + −
𝑣2 𝑣2 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐

𝑙 𝑥1 1 1
𝑜𝑟, ∆𝑡 − + = 𝑥3 ( + )
𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑣2

1
∆𝑡 − 𝑐 (𝑙 − 𝑥1 )
𝑠𝑜, 𝑥3 =
1 1
(𝑐 + 𝑣 )
2

………….. (4)

Now, the observer at P1 notes the position as (𝑙 + 𝑥3 , 0).

𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑡 𝑡=∆𝑡 − 𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑡 𝑡=0
So, 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑣𝑟 = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

(𝑙 + 𝑥3 − 𝑥1 ) − 𝑙
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 =
∆𝑡
𝑥3 − 𝑥1
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 =
∆𝑡
Putting equation (4) in this we get,
 1
1 ∆𝑡 − 𝑐 (𝑙 − 𝑥1 )
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 = [ − 𝑥1 ]
∆𝑡 1 1
(𝑐 + 𝑣 )
2

𝑙 𝑣
1 − 𝑐∆𝑡 + 𝑐1
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 = − 𝑣1
1 1
𝑐 + 𝑣2

𝑙
𝑐 − ∆𝑡 + 𝑣1
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 = 𝑐 − 𝑣1
1+𝑣
2

𝑙 𝑣
𝑐 − ∆𝑡 + 𝑣1 − 𝑣1 − 𝑐 𝑣1
2
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 = 𝑐
1+𝑣
2

𝑣 𝑙
𝑐 (1 − 𝑣1 ) − ∆𝑡
2
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 = 𝑐
1+𝑣
2

𝑙𝑣
𝑐(𝑣2 − 𝑣1 ) − ∆𝑡2
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 =
𝑐 + 𝑣2

𝑙𝑣2
(𝑣2 − 𝑣1 ) − 𝑐∆𝑡
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 = 𝑣
1 + 𝑐2

So, we see putting relativistic approach in calculation of Relative velocity, we

get slightly less value than simple classical approach. This may be treated as
‘Reduction in Relative Velocity’.

Discussion:
This formula of relative velocity shows us that it may be slightly greater than
or slightly less than classical formula.

When the bodies move towards to each other, our assumption gives us slightly
higher value while moving in same direction gives slightly less value.

Further study tells that,

𝑙𝑣2
1−
𝑐∆𝑡(𝑣2 − 𝑣1 )
𝑣𝑟 = (𝑣2 − 𝑣1 )[ 𝑣 ]
1 + 𝑐2
 𝑙𝑣2
𝑐−
(𝑣2 − 𝑣1 )∆𝑡
𝑜𝑟, 𝑣𝑟 = (𝑣2 − 𝑣1 )
𝑐 + 𝑣2
𝑐−𝑘
So, it comes up in the form of 𝑣𝑟 = (𝑣2 − 𝑣1 ) 𝑐+𝑘1
2

Also, we see, calculating relative velocity over a long period of time gives us
less error. And the objects being close together giver us less error.

Conclusion:
So, we find out,

𝑣𝑟 = 𝑓(𝑣1 , 𝑣2 , ∆𝑥, ∆𝑡)

Significantly it depends on the position of the two particles in space-time

coordinate.