Lorentz Transformation

Relativistic Invariance
(Lorentz invariance)
The laws of physics are invariant
under a transformation between
two coordinate frames moving at
constant velocity w.r.t. each other.
(The world is not invariant, but the
laws of physics are!)
Review: Special
Relativity
Einsteins assumption: the speed of light is independent of

the (constant ) velocity, v, of the observer. It forms the
basis for special relativity.
Speed of light = C = |r2 r1| / (t2 t1) = |r2 r1 | / (t2 t1)
= |dr/dt| = |dr/dt|
C2 = |dr|2/dt2 = |dr|2 /dt 2

Both measure the same speed!
This can be rewritten:
d(Ct)2 - |dr|2 = d(Ct)2 - |dr|2 = 0

d(Ct)2 - dx2 - dy2 - dz2 = d(Ct)2 dx2 dy2 dz2
d(Ct)2 - dx2 - dy2 - dz2
is an invariant!
It has the same value in all frames ( =

0 ).
|dr| is the distance light moves in dt w.r.t the fixed
frame.
A Lorentz transformation relates position and time in the

two frames.
Sometimes it is called a
boost .
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/relativ/ltrans.html#c2
How does one derive the transformation?

Only need two special cases.
Eq. 1
Transformation matrix relates
differentials
a b
f h
+b
+h
Recall the
picture
of the two
frames
measuring the
speed of the
same
light signal.
Next step: calculate right hand

side of Eq. 1 using matrix result
for cdt and dx.
=1
=0
= -1
c[- + v/c] dt =0
= v/c
But, we are not going to need the

transformation matrix!
We only need to form quantities which are
invariant under
the (Lorentz) transformation matrix.
2
2
2
2
It hasthat
the same
in all
frames
(=0
).
Recall
(cdt)value
(dx)
(dy)
(dz)
is an
This is a special invariant, however.
invariant.
Suppose we consider the four-vector:

px , py , pz )
(E/c,
(E/c)2 (px)2 (py)2 (pz)2 is

also invariant.
In the center of mass of a particle this is equal
to
(mc2 /c)2 (0)2 (0)2 (0)2 =

m2 c 2
So, for a particle (in any frame)
covariant and contravariant

components*
*For more details about contravariant and covariant components see

http://web.mst.edu/~hale/courses/M402/M402_notes/M402-Chapter2/M402-Chapter2.pd
The metric tensor, g, relates

covariant and contravariant components
covariant
components
contravariant
components
Using indices instead of

x, y, z
covariant
components
contravariant
components
4-dimensional dot
product
You can think of the 4-vector dot product as follows:
covariant
components
contravariant
components
Why all these minus signs?

Einsteins assumption (all frames
measure the same speed of light)
gives :
d(Ct)2 - dx2 - dy2 dz2 = 0
From this one obtains
the speed of light.
It must be positive!
C
= [dx2 + dy2 + dz2]1/2 /dt
Four dimensional gradient operator
covariant
components
contravariant
components
4-dimensional vector
component notation
x
=0,1,2,3
contravariant
components
x
=0,1,2,3
covariant
components
( x0 , x1 , x2 , x 3 )
= ( ct, x, y, z )
= (ct, r)
( x0 , x1 , x2 , x3 )
= ( ct, -x, -y, -z )
= (ct, -r)
partial derivatives
/x
=
/z)
4-dimensional
gradient operator
(/(ct) , /x , /y ,
3-dimensional
gradient operator
( /(ct) , )
partial derivatives
Note
this is not
equal to
/x
=
(/(ct) , -/x , - /y , -
/z)
They differ by a
minus sign.
( /(ct) , -)
Invariant dot products using

4-component notation
contravaria
nt
covaria
nt
x x = =0,1,2,3 x x
Einstein summation notation
(repeated index one up, one down) summation)
x x
= (ct)2 -x2 -y2 -z2
Invariant dot products using

4-component notation
= =0,1,2,3
Einstein summation notation
(repeated index summation

)
= 2/(ct)2 - 2
2
2/x2 + 2/y2 +
Any four vector dot product has the

same value
in all frames moving with constant
velocity w.r.t. each other.
Examples:
xx
p p
p x

For the graduate

students:
Consider ct = f(ct,x,y,z)
Using the chain rule:
d(ct) = [f/(ct)]d(ct) +
Summation
[f/(x)]dx
+ [f/(y)]dy over
+ implied
[f/(z)]dz
d(ct)
First row of Lorentz
transformation.
= [ (ct)/x ] dx
= L 0 dx
4x4 Lorentz
transformation.
For the graduate

students:
dx = [ x/x ] dx
= L dx
/x
= [ x/x ]
/x
=
/x
Invariance:
dx dx
= L dx L dx
= (x/x)( x/x)dx
dx
= [x/x ] dx dx
Lorentz Invariance
Lorentz invariance of the laws of
physics
is satisfied if the laws are cast in
terms of four-vector dot products!
Four vector dot products are said to be
Lorentz scalars.
In the relativistic field theories, we must
use Lorentz scalars to express the
interactions.

Lorentz Transformation

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Relativistic Invariance

Einsteins assumption: the speed of light is independent of

C2 = |dr|2/dt2 = |dr|2 /dt 2

This can be rewritten:

d(Ct)2 - |dr|2 = d(Ct)2 - |dr|2 = 0

d(Ct)2 - dx2 - dy2 - dz2

It has the same value in all frames ( =

A Lorentz transformation relates position and time in the

How does one derive the transformation?

Next step: calculate right hand

But, we are not going to need the

Suppose we consider the four-vector:

(E/c)2 (px)2 (py)2 (pz)2 is

(mc2 /c)2 (0)2 (0)2 (0)2 =

So, for a particle (in any frame)

covariant and contravariant

*For more details about contravariant and covariant components see

The metric tensor, g, relates

Using indices instead of

You can think of the 4-vector dot product as follows:

Why all these minus signs?

= [dx2 + dy2 + dz2]1/2 /dt

Four dimensional gradient operator

Invariant dot products using

(repeated index one up, one down) summation)

= (ct)2 -x2 -y2 -z2

Invariant dot products using

(repeated index summation

Any four vector dot product has the

For the graduate

First row of Lorentz

For the graduate

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