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b2 Mechanics

The document summarizes key concepts from special relativity lectures, including: 1. Lorentz transformations, spacetime diagrams, and invariance of the speed of light. 2. Four-vectors like displacement, velocity, acceleration, and their properties. 3. Rapidity, Doppler effect, and transformations of velocity and force. 4. Conservation of energy and momentum, particle collisions, decay processes, and Compton scattering.

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Sifei Zhang
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63 views9 pages

b2 Mechanics

The document summarizes key concepts from special relativity lectures, including: 1. Lorentz transformations, spacetime diagrams, and invariance of the speed of light. 2. Four-vectors like displacement, velocity, acceleration, and their properties. 3. Rapidity, Doppler effect, and transformations of velocity and force. 4. Conservation of energy and momentum, particle collisions, decay processes, and Compton scattering.

Uploaded by

Sifei Zhang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 1. Basic concepts (book: p.

1-19; 28-34)

Reference body. ‘Observe’ = deduce. Postulates. Standard configuration.

Spacetime diagrams; axes and simultaneity

Lorentz transformation:
     
t′ = γ(t − vx/c2 ) 
 ct′ γ −γβ 0 0 ct
  x   −γβ γ 0 0   x 
x′ = γ(−vt + x) ′
 =  
,  y′   0
y′ = y 
 0 1 0 y 

z′ = z z′ 0 0 0 1 z
Minkowski metric and definition of Λ:
 
−1 0 0 0
 0 1  ΛT gΛ = g
0 0
g= 0 0 ,
1 0
⇒ A′T gB′ = AT gB ≡A·B Invariant
0 0 0 1
Postulate 1, “Principle of Relativity”:

The motions of bodies included in a given space are the same


among themselves, whether that space is at rest or moves uniformly
forward in a straight line.

Postulate 2, “Light speed postulate”:

There is a finite maximum speed for signals.

Alternative statements:
Postulate 1:

The laws of physics take the same mathematical form in all inertial
frames of reference.

Postulate 2:

There is an inertial reference frame in which the speed of light in


vacuum is independent of the motion of the source.
Lecture 2. 4-vectors; Proper time; Method of invariants; transformation
of velocity (book p.14; 399-400; 22-25; 39-44)

Proper time Familiarity with γ :


dt dγ d
=γ γ = (1 − β 2 )−1/2 , = γ 3 v/c2 , (γv) = γ 3
dτ dv dv

symbol definition components name(s) invariant


X X (ct, r) 4-displacement, interval −c2 τ 2
U dX/dτ (γc, γv) 4-velocity −c2
P m0 U (E/c, p) energy-momentum, 4-momentum −m20 c2
A dU/dτ γ(γ̇c, γ̇v + γa) 4-acceleration a20

Timelike U · U < 0 e.g. 4-velocity


spacelike A · A > 0 e.g. 4-acceleration
null P · P = 0 e.g. energy-momentum of light pulse
Method of invariants = “Try using an invariant if you can, and pick an easy
reference frame.”

4-acceleration is orthogonal to 4-velocity: U · A = 0.

Transformation of velocity:
u∥ − v u⊥
u′∥ = , u′⊥ = . |{z} z}|{ −→ particle jets
1 − u · v/c2 γv (1 − u · v/c2 )
Lecture 3. Rapidity; Doppler effect; Headlight effect
( )1/2
v 1+β
1. Rapidity: tanh(ρ) ≡ , ⇒ cosh(ρ) = γ, sinh(ρ) = βγ, eρ = .
c 1−β
  1 2 −→ v21 3 −→ v32
cosh ρ − sinh ρ 0 0
 − sinh ρ cosh ρ 0 0
Λ=

, v32 + v21
0 0 1 0 Colinear velocities: v31 =
1 + v32 v21 /c2
0 0 0 1 Colinear rapidities: ρ31 = ρ21 + ρ32

2. Doppler effect

4-wave vector K ≡ (ω/c, k), ei(k·r−ωt) = eiK·X

ω 1
Doppler effect: K·U⇒ = .
ω0 γ(1 − (v/vp ) cos θ)

3. Headlight effect or ‘aberration’:


cos θ0 + v/c dΩ ( ω )2
−1 0
Headlight effect: K = Λ K0 ⇒ cos θ = ⇒ = .
1 + (v/c) cos θ0 dΩ0 ω

−→ brightness (power per unit solid angle) transforms as (ω/ω0 )4 for isotropic
source
Lecture 4. Force; simple dynamical problems

1. Force ( )
dP dE dm0
F≡ , U · F = γ2 − + u · f = −c2 .
dτ dt dτ
‘Pure’ force:
dE
U · F = 0 ⇒ m0 = const, =f ·u
dt

2. Transformation of force: use ΛF and γ, or (d/dt′ )(ΛP) :


{
′ f∥ − (v/c2 )dE/dt f⊥ f∥′ = f∥
f∥ = , f⊥′ = ⇒ for u = 0
1 − u ·v/c2 γv (1 − u ·v/c2 ) f⊥′ = f⊥ /γ

3. Equation of motion in any given reference frame:


dp d dγ
f= = (γmv) = γma + m v
dt dt dt

 (i) acceleration is not necessarily parallel to force!
⇒ (ii) f = ma only valid at v = 0

(iii) for ‘pure’ force (m=constant): f∥ = γ 3 ma∥ , f⊥ = γma⊥ .

4. Uniform B field: just like Newtonian result, but with m replaced by γm.
Hence ω = qB/γm and p = qBr.

5. Motion parallel to E field: hyperbolic motion, x2 − c2 t2 = (c2 /a0 )2 and Ü ∝ U.


Constant proper acceleration.
Lecture 5. Some more kinematics; The conservation of energy and mo-
mentum
dρ
1. Constant proper acceleration and hyperbolic motion: = a0 .
dτ
2. Rigidity; the Great Train Disaster

3. Lewis and Tolman argument: p = mα(v)v ⇒ p = γmv.

4. Impact of simultaneity on “Ptot = P1 + P2 + P3 + . . . Pn ”.

5. “Zero component lemma”: if one component of a 4-vector is zero in all reference


frames, then the whole 4-vector is zero.

Hence momentum conservation ⇔ energy conservation.


}
Main postulates,
⇒ E0 = mc2 , equivalence of rest mass and rest energy.
momentum conservation
Lecture 6. Collisions.
Methods:
P · P = −m2 c2 ⇒ E 2 − p2 c2 = m2 c4 (1)
pc2
p = γmv, E = γmc2 ⇒ v= (2)
E
“Isolate and square.” (3)

1. Decay at rest. e.g. find the energy of one of the products:


M 2 + m21 − m22 2
E1 = c, Ephoton = ∆Erest − Erecoil .
2M

2. In-flight decay. e.g. Find the rest mass of the original particle:
2
M 2 = m21 + m22 + 4 (E1 E2 − p1 · p2 c2 )
c
⇒ it suffices to measure m1 , m2 , p1 , p2 , θ.

3. Particle formation. e.g. threshold energy (stationary target):


∑
( i mi )2 − m2 − M 2 2
Eth = c.
2M

4. Elastic collision. e.g. find angles in the lab frame

5. Compton effect (A. H. Compton, Physical Review 21, 483 (1923)):


h
λ′ − λ = (1 − cos θ).
mc

[other: 3-body decay, inverse Compton effect, etc.]


Lecture 7. Composite body; 4-gradient; flow

1. The idea of a composite


∑ body∑with a net energy and momentum,
√ hence rest mass
and velocity. p = i pi , E = i Ei , P ≡ (E/c, p), m ≡ −P /c , v = pc2 /E.
2 2

2. Concept of a Lorentz-invariant scalar field.


e.g. B · E, E 2 − c2 B 2 , but NOT charge density or potential energy.

3. 4-gradient operator: ( )
1∂ ∂ ∂ ∂
≡ − , , ,
c ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
If ϕ is a Lorentz-invariant scalar quantity, then: ′ ϕ = Λ ϕ
i.e. ϕ is a 4-vector.

4. 4-divergence
1 ∂F 0 1 ∂2
·F= + ∇ · f,  =  ·  = − 2 2 + ∇2 .
2
c ∂t c ∂t

5. Wave phase ϕ is Lorentz-invariant.


⇒ K ≡ ϕ is a 4-vector
2 ϕ = 0 is the wave equation.

6. Flow and conservation:


4-current density J ≡ ρ0 U = (ρc, j)
continuity equation  · J = 0.

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