PH-1001 (Physics-1) : Dr. A. K. Singh Department of Physics & Astronomy National Institute of Technology Rourkela-769008

PH-1001 (Physics-1)
Dr. A. K. Singh
Department of Physics & Astronomy
National Institute of Technology
Rourkela-769008
Lorentz Transformation Equations
A more symmetric form:
2
Properties of γ
Recall β = v/c < 1 for all observers.
1) equals 1 only when v = 0.
2) Graph of β:
(note v ≠ c)
3
Remarks
1) If v << c, i.e., β ≈ 0 and ≈ 1, we see these equations

reduce to the familiar Galilean transformation.
2) Space and time are now not separated.
3) For non-imaginary transformations, the frame velocity

cannot exceed c.
4
Lorentz Transformations: (Purpose is to be
consistent with the Special Theory of Relativity)
1
x'  ( x  vt)
1 v c2 2
y'  y (L.T.)
z'  z
1  vx 
t'   t 2
1  v2 c2  c 
G.T
x'  x  vt y'  y z'  z t'  t
LORENTZ TRANSFORMATION
(Purpose is to be consistent with the Special Theory of Relativity)
y x  k ( x  vt)
y
S x  vt
x 
S
v 1 v2 / c2
x
O
y  y
O x
z  z
vx
z t 2
t  c
z
 Basic formulas of 1 v2 / c2
electromagnetism are the A more symmetric form:
same in all inertial frames
G.T
x'  x  vt , y '  y, z '  z , t '  t
Matrix form
 From a frame S(x, y, z, t) to a frame S (x, y, z, t) moving
with velocity v along the x-axis the space –time coordinates are
transformed as
Inverse Lorentz Transformation:

Measurements made in the moving frame S to their equivalents in S
vx
t 
x  vt  c2
x , y  y, z  z , t 
1 v / c
2 2
1 v2 / c2
H.W.: Check the validity of relativity postulates in Lorentz transformation ?

Time Dilation and Length Contraction
Consequences of the Lorentz Transformation:
• Time Dilation:
Clocks in S’ run slow with respect to stationary
clocks in S.
• Length Contraction:
Lengths in S’ are contracted with respect to
the same lengths stationary in S.
8
Time Dilation
 A moving clock ticks more slowly than a clock at rest
Actual difference of elapsed time between two events as measured

by observers either moving relative to each other or differently situated
from gravitational masses.
Time where clock is at rest
Time where clock is moving relative to the observer.
relative to the observer Proper time
t0
t  
1 v2 / c2
Clocks moving relative to an observer are
measured by that observer to run more
slowly, as compared to the clock at rest.
 This effect arises neither from technical aspects of the

clocks nor from the fact that signals need time to
propagate, but from the nature of space-time itself.
APPOLLO 11
Consider light beam reflected and observed on a
moving spaceship and from the ground
Distance is shorter from the ship
Distance is longer from the ground
c = D/t
Since D is longer from the ground, so t must be too.
On Spaceship: On Earth:
2D
c 2 D 2  L2
t0 c
t
2D 2L
t0  v
c t
vt
L
2
2 D 2  v 2 t 2 / 4
c
t
4D 2 t0-Proper time
c 
2
 v 2
t 2 -time interval when the 2 events are

2D at the same point in space
t 
c 1 v2 / c2 -In this example, on the spaceship
t0
t 
1 v2 / c2
Experimental verification
• Time Dilation and Muon Decay

Muon Decay
 Cosmic rays enter the upper atmosphere
and interact with particles in the upper
atmosphere creating  mesons (pions),
decay into other particles called muons
 Obey radioactive law:
 ( 0.693t t1 / 2 )
N  N 0e
N: No. of muons at t
No :No. of muons at t=0
Half life: t1/2 =1.5 x 10-6 sec
The mean lifetime of a muon in its own reference
frame, called the proper life time, is 0 = 2.2 s. In a
v=0 frame moving at velocity v with respect to that
 0 = 2.2 s proper frame, the lifetime is  = 0 , where  is the
time dilation factor.
v = 0.995 c
  = 22 s = 10 0
v = 0.99995 c  = 220 s = 100 0


Mean lifetime  as measured in laboratory frame

A clock in a moving frame will be seen to be running slow, or "dilated" according to
the Lorentz transformation. The time will always be shortest as measured in its rest
frame. The time measured in the frame in which the clock is at rest is called the
"proper time".
Atomic Clock Measurement
Figure 2.20: Two airplanes took off (at different times) from Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Naval
Observatory is located. The airplanes traveled east and west around Earth as it rotated. Atomic clocks on
the airplanes were compared with similar clocks kept at the observatory to show that the moving clocks
in the airplanes ran slower.
15
TWIN PARADOX
A longer life, but it will not seem longer
twin paradox : a thought experiment

a twin makes a journey into space in a high-speed rocket and returns
home to find he has aged less than his identical twin who stayed on Earth.
puzzling
each twin sees the other twin as travelling, and so, according to a naive
application of time dilation, each should paradoxically find the other to have
aged more slowly.
50 Yr
20 Yr 20 Yr 70 Yr
However, this scenario can be resolved within the standard
framework of special relativity.
Because of time dilation, time is running more slowly in the

spacecraft as seen by the earthbound twin and the travelling twin
will find that the earthbound twin will be older upon return from the
journey. The common question: Is this real? would one twin really
be younger?
The clear implication is that the travelling twin would indeed be younger, but the
scenario is complicated by the fact that the travelling twin must be accelerated up
to travelling speed, turned around, and decelerated again upon return to Earth.
Accelerations are outside the realm of special

relativity and require general relativity.
 Despite the experimental difficulties, an experiment on a commercial airline

confirms the existence of a time difference between ground observers and a
reference frame moving with respect to them.
Twin Paradox
The Set-up
Twins Dic and Jane at age 30 decide on two career paths: Dic decides to
become an astronaut and to leave on a trip 8 lightyears (ly) from the Earth at
a great speed and to return; Jane decides to reside on the Earth.
The Problem
Upon Dic’s return, Jane reasons that her clocks measuring her age must run
slow. As such, she will return younger. However, Dic claims that it is Jane who
is moving and consequently his clocks must run slow.
The Paradox
Who is younger upon Dic’s return?
The Resolution
1) Jane’s clock is in an inertial system during the entire trip;

however, Dic’s clock is not. As long as Dic is traveling at
constant speed away from Jane’s, both of them can argue that
the other twin is aging less rapidly.
2) When Dic slows down to turn around, he leaves him original

inertial system and eventually returns in a completely
different inertial system.
3) Dic’s claim is no longer valid, because he does not remain in

the same inertial system. There is also no doubt as to who is in
the inertial system. Jane feels no acceleration during Dic’s
entire trip, but Dic does.

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PH-1001 (Physics-1)

1) equals 1 only when v = 0.

1) If v << c, i.e., β ≈ 0 and ≈ 1, we see these equations

2) Space and time are now not separated.

3) For non-imaginary transformations, the frame velocity

Inverse Lorentz Transformation:

H.W.: Check the validity of relativity postulates in Lorentz transformation ?

Consequences of the Lorentz Transformation:

Actual difference of elapsed time between two events as measured

 This effect arises neither from technical aspects of the

t 2 -time interval when the 2 events are

• Time Dilation and Muon Decay

 Obey radioactive law:

v = 0.99995 c  = 220 s = 100 0

Mean lifetime  as measured in laboratory frame

twin paradox : a thought experiment

Because of time dilation, time is running more slowly in the

Accelerations are outside the realm of special

 Despite the experimental difficulties, an experiment on a commercial airline

1) Jane’s clock is in an inertial system during the entire trip;

2) When Dic slows down to turn around, he leaves him original

3) Dic’s claim is no longer valid, because he does not remain in

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