introduction to

Special Relativit
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 1 v1.00: Jan 2014

Galilean Relativit
Consider t#o trains side ! side in a rail#a station.
2 "p$ 1 "p$ /s a passenger in t$e !lue train0 loo)ing out t$e #indo# directl at t$e red train0 it is eas to !e con%used as to #$ic$ o% ou is "oving. ($e red train can %ill our %ield o% vie#. 1ou can %eel t$e vi!ration o% t$e carriage0 !ut it is unclear i% our train is stationar 0 "oving %or#ards0 or "oving !ac)#ards. /ll ou can !e reall sure o% is t$at0 relative to you0 t$e red train is "oving %or#ards. In order to descri!e "otion #e need to descri!e $o# t$at "otion is seen ! a particular o!server. In e%%ect t$e o!server is considered stationar and "otion is descri!ed relative to t$at &stationar ' vie#point. ($is is t$e original sense o% relativit and is co""onl re%erred to as Galilean Relativit to ac)no#ledge t$e i"portant contri!utions o% t$e scientist Galileo Galilei *1+,4-1,42..
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 2 v1.00: Jan 2014

($e Speed o% Lig$t

3e see t$ings using lig$t. I% o!4ects start "oving #it$ speeds approac$ing t$e Speed o% Lig$t0 #e s$ould not !e surprised i% strange t$ings $appen. ($e Speed o% Lig$t in %ree space is t picall denoted ! c c 5 266076204+8 "9s or roug$l ,70 "illion "p$.

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

v1.00: Jan 2014

($e Meaning o% &Si"ultaneous'

Ever !od )no#s t$at &si"ultaneous' "eans &$appening at t$e sa"e ti"e'0 !ut ac$ieving t$is is not necessaril straig$t%or#ard.

:or an *old st le. !attle #$ere t$e cavalr and t$e %oot-soldiers need to stri)e si"ultaneousl 0 t$e %oot-soldiers $ave to set o%% %irst #$en crossing open ground since t$e $orses c$arge %aster t$an t$e soldiers can run. 3e s$ould conclude t$at i% t$e ti"e to get %ro" one place to anot$er *t$e transit ti"e. is signi%icant0 #e need to !e ;uite care%ul #it$ our t$in)ing concerning si"ultaneous events.
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 4 v1.00: Jan 2014

(rul Si"ultaneous Events

/ > =

Consider t#o %las$ing lig$t sources / < = and a detector >. I% #e ensure t$at > is e?actl t$e sa"e distance %ro" !ot$ / and = #e can !e sure t$at i% #e receive lig$t %las$es %ro" eac$ source at t$e sa"e ti"e0 t$e %las$es originated at e?actl t$e sa"e ti"e.
:or t$e sa)e o% co"pleteness #e s$ould ensure t$at t$e ti"e !et#een %las$es is "uc$ longer t$an t$e transit ti"e %ro" t$e source to t$e detector so t$at #e don@t accidentall s nc$ronise to one lig$t source a #$ole nu"!er o% c cles out o% p$ase #it$ t$e ot$er lig$t sourceA

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

v1.00: Jan 2014

Multiple Si"ultaneous Events

R / >

I $ave arranged a group o% si"ilar %las$ing lig$t sources into a straig$t line. ($e one "ar)ed R is t$e sa"e as all t$e rest0 !ut I $ave ar!itraril decided to use t$at one as " re%erence. I ad4ust eac$ source in turn0 "oving t$e detector > so t$at it is e;uidistant !et#een t$e re%erence and t$e source !eing ad4usted. In t$e picture a!ove I a" ad4usting t$e source la!elled /. Botice t$at t$e line o% sources can !e ar!itraril long. /%ter $aving !een cali!rated0 t$e e"it lig$t pulses at e?actl t$e sa"e ti"e and t$ere%ore de%ine a line o% si"ultaneous events.
Leslie Green CEng MIEE , v1.00: Jan 2014

Space-(i"e >iagra"
t

($is is a conventional space-ti"e diagra". = onl using one space direction t$e diagra" is easier to dra#. ($e ello# dots represent t$e positions o% t$e %las$ing lig$t sources at so"e ar!itrar Cero on t$e ti"e a?is. ($e red lines are called &world lines' and s$o# $o# t$e o!4ects "ove in space-ti"e. In t$e e?a"ple a!ove t$e lig$t sources are stationar and t$ere%ore t$eir ?-values sta constant as ti"e progresses.

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

v1.00: Jan 2014

Space-(i"e >iagra"
t

/ space-ti"e diagra" is "ost use%ul #$en dealing #it$ $ig$ speeds. It is t$ere%ore convenient to scale t$e ti"e a?is suc$ t$at t$e speed o% lig$t corresponds to a 4+D line. ($e red lines are t$e lig$t ra s %ro" t$e sources t$at $appen to go to#ards t$e ti"e a?is.
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 8 v1.00: Jan 2014

Space-(i"e >iagra"
t

In general0 t$e speed o% an o!4ect is inversel proportional to t$e slope o% t$e #orld line.

v=

x t

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

v1.00: Jan 2014

Speed Ratio
Rat$er t$an using !ig nu"!ers0 it is convenient to e?press an velocit 0 v, as a ratio co"pared to t$e speed o% lig$t0 c.

v = c

($ings onl start to get interesting #$en 0.05 !ut since t$is is greater t$an 20 "illion "p$0 it is not t$e sort o% speed ou #ould ordinaril encounterA
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 10 v1.00: Jan 2014

Space-(i"e >iagra"
t

3e $ave alread decided to represent t$e speed o% lig$t ! a 4+D line. 3e can t$en sa

x = t

provided #e "easure ti"e in distance units. BE(E: So"e people pre%er to #rite c t on t$e ti"e a?is0 rat$er t$an t0 in order to ac$ieve t$e sa"e result.

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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LorentC :actor
($e LorentC %actor si"pli%ies our calculations
= 1

12

/t lo# speeds *beta. is close to Cero and *gamma. is close to one.

3$ere does t$is co"plicated %actor co"e %ro"F In 1887 Mic$elson < Morle #ere tr ing to "easure t$e e%%ect o% t$e "ove"ent o% t$e Eart$ t$roug$ space to a $ig$er accurac t$an earlier atte"pts. ($e null result #as soon e?plained ! FitzGerald as !eing due to contraction o% "oving o!4ects along t$e direction o% "otion0 and e?plained in "ore detail ! Lorentz in 1862. It #as not until 160+0 $o#ever0 t$at Einstein reall e?plained t$e %actor #$en $e pu!lis$ed t$e Special Theory of Relativity0 a %unda"ental postulate o% #$ic$ is t$at lig$t travels at t$e sa"e speed0 regardless o% t$e relative *un-accelerated. "otions o% t$e source and t$e o!server*s..

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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LorentC (rans%or"ation
($e LorentC trans%or"ation tells us $o# to convert %ro" one o!server@s vie#point to anot$er. Ence ou understand $o# to appl t$is si"ple rule ou #ill !e a!le to solve "an pro!le"s relating to $ig$ speed p$eno"ena . Conventional notation in t$e stud o% Special Relativit uses a superscript "ar) on one set o% co-ordinates. ($is "ar) can !e read as eit$er &pri"e' or &das$'. ($us ? can !e read as &? das$'. (a)e a point * ?0 t . on t$e space-ti"e diagra" %or one o!server and convert it to a ne# point * ?0 t . on t$e space-ti"e diagra" %or anot$er o!server.

x= x + t

t = x + t
Botice $o# ti"e and space !eco"e "ore and "ore inter-"i?ed as t$e speed !eco"es larger. /t lo# speeds #it$ 5 0 and 51 no special co-ordinate trans%or"ation is necessar .
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 12 v1.00: Jan 2014

LorentC (rans%or"ation
Since #e #ant to co"pare #$at one o!server sees #it$ #$at anot$er o!server sees0 #e need to !e a!le to s#ap !et#een t$e t#o co-ordinate s ste"s %reel . Gence #e need t#o sets o% trans%or"ation e;uations.

x= x + t

x =

x t

t = x + t

t = x + t

Given one pair o% LorentC trans%or"ation e;uations0 it is not di%%icult to re-arrange t$e" to give t$e ot$er pair o% LorentC trans%or"ation e;uations s$o#n a!ove. *(r itA. Botice t$at t$e onl di%%erence is in t$e sign o% t$e velocit ter".

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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($e =arn < Hole HuCCle

In t$is $istoric puCCle t$ere is a stationar 10" long !arn #it$ open ends. / runner is carr ing a 20" long pole0 #it$ t$e pole $oriContal and pointing in t$e direction t$e runner is "oving. 3ill t$e #$ole lengt$ o% t$e pole %it in t$e !arn i% t$e runner is going so %ast t$at 52 F

1 3 = 1 2 = 2

In t$is plan vie# t$e !arn *red. is s$o#n #it$ dotted *open. ends. ($e pole *!lue. is s$o#n at t$e "o"ent it is 4ust a!out to enter t$e !arn. I c$oose t$is point as t$e origin o% both co-ordinate s ste"s %or si"plicit . Hlease note t$at I $ave not dra#n t$is s)etc$ to scale. ($e reason %or t$is #ill !eco"e evident ver soonA
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 1+ v1.00: Jan 2014

($e =arn < Hole HuCCle

3e $ave 4 points to dra# on our space-ti"e diagra" and 4 space-ti"e pat$s *#orld lines. to dra# %ro" t$ese points. ($is is enoug$ to solve t$e pro!le"A 3e are going to dra# t$e space-ti"e diagra" in t$e frame of reference o% t$e !arn. 3e are using di"ensions o% "etres t$roug$out as t$e pro!le" is stated in "etres. ($e %irst point is t$e entrance o% t$e !arn #$ic$ #e agreed #ould !e at * 00 0 .. ($e second point is t$e e?it o% t$e !arn #$ic$ is t$ere%ore at * 00 10 .. ($e t$ird point is t$e leading end o% t$e pole #$ic$ is again at * 00 0 . !ecause o% our earlier de%inition. It is t$e %ourt$ point #$ic$ is t$e interesting one. 3e )no# t$at t$e trailing end o% t$e pole is at * -200 0 .0 in ot$er #ords #e )no# its co-ordinates onl in t$e %ra"e o% re%erence o% t$e runner0 t$e das$ %ra"e. ($is is #$ere #e use t$e LorentC trans%or"ation

x= x + t = 2(20)+ 0 =40

3 t = x + t = 2 (20 )+ 0 =20 3 2

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

1,

v1.00: Jan 2014

($e =arn < Hole HuCCle

t

!arn entrance
0 10

!arn e?it
?

:irst plot t$e )no#n !arn co-ordinates

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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v1.00: Jan 2014

($e =arn < Hole HuCCle

t

!arn entrance #orld line

0

!arn e?it #orld line

10

Be?t plot t$e !arn entrance and e?it #orld-lines

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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v1.00: Jan 2014

($e =arn < Hole HuCCle

t

Bo# plot t$e leading edge o% t$e pole@s #orld-line

( 10,

10 )

>on@t tr too $ard to "a)e our dra#ing to scale. It #ill never !e accurate enoug$ to read values %ro" "easured lengt$s. Ise it as a s)etc$ and calculate all t$e critical intersection points.

10

Re"e"!er t$at t$e #orld line o% t$e pole $as a 1 t x slope = t= x 3e can t$ere%ore calculate t$e point at #$ic$ t$e t$e #orld lines o% t$e !arn e?it and t$e pole intersect as 10 ( 10, )
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 16

!arn e?it #orld line

v1.00: Jan 2014

($e =arn < Hole HuCCle

t

Bo# plot t$e trailing edge o% t$e pole@s #orld-line0 parallel to t$e leading edge #orld-line since !ot$ #orld-lines $ave t$e sa"e slope
0 10

( 10,

10 )

In retrospect it seems as if we could have made the drawing simpler if we had defined the origins of the co-ordinate systems as the point when the leading edge of the pole is just about to exit the barn. Try it as an exercise.

!arn entrance #orld line

!arn e?it #orld line

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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($e =arn < Hole HuCCle

Eur si"ple s)etc$ed dra#ing #as not accurate enoug$ to ans#er t$e original ;uestion. Go#ever #e )no# t$e )e points no#. ($e %ront end o% t$e pole starts to e?it t$e !arn at ti"e 10 t= /ll #e no# need to do is to esta!lis$ #$ere t$e ot$er end o% t$e pole #ill !e at t$is sa"e ti"e. ($e trailing end o% t$e pole starts %ro" t$e point *-400 -40 . as esta!lis$ed earlier. x = x = t t ($e re;uired x value is t$ere%ore evaluated as

x = 40 + ( 40 +

10 40 3 2 )= 30 + 40 = 30+ = 0 4

So t$e puCCle is solved. ($e pole %its e?actl #it$in t$e !arn.

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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LorentC Contraction
3e can generalise t$e calculation #e $ave 4ust done using a rod o% lengt$ L as "easured in t$e das$ %ra"e. ($e start o% t$e rod is at * 00 0 . and t$e end o% t$e rod is at * -L0 0 .. 3e LorentC trans%or" t$ese t#o points so t$at t$e start is at * 00 0 . and t$e end is at *-L0 -L. ($e rod is "ost convenientl "easured at t$e 0 ti"e value0 as s$o#n in t$e space-ti"e diagra" s$o#n to t$e rig$t.
L= L x = L t = L 2 L
2

t -L -L 0 ?

= L ( 1 )

Re"e"!ering t$at

1 2 1

L L= ($e LorentC contraction %or"ula

?
Leslie Green CEng MIEE 22

-L

v1.00: Jan 2014

($e =arn < Hole HuCCle - /gain

Bo# t$at #e $ave t$e LorentC contraction %or"ula #e can see t$at t$e 20" pole %its into t$e 10" !arn !ecause t$e pole is "oving and t$e LorentC contraction %actor is . =ut #ait a "inute0 as %ar as t$e runner is concerned t$e !arn could !e t$oug$t o% as "oving. In t$is case it is t$e !arn t$at s$ould s$rin). It is t$is aspect t$at is t$e real puCCle. Let@s redra# our diagra" in t$e %ra"e o% re%erence o% t$e runner. ($is ti"e I a" going to de%ine t$e origins o% !ot$ co-ordinate s ste"s to !e #$en t$e leading edge o% t$e pole is a!out to leave t$e !arn.

t 0 -20 -+
#orld line o% !arn entrance

?
#orld line o% !arn e?it
Notice that this time I haven't bothered to calculate anything. I know that the barn is orent! contracted to "m so I can just draw it in on the x axis. I know the slope of the barn world lines are #$ so again I can just draw them in.

#orld line o% trailing end o% pole

#orld line o% leading end o% pole

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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Special Relativit
In su""ar 0 Special Relativit relates to %ra"es o% re%erence t$at "ove #it$ uni%or" *un-accelerated. "otion relative to eac$ ot$er and #$ere t$e e%%ect o% gravit can !e neglected. It is needed #$en t$e speeds involved !eco"e a signi%icant %raction o% t$e speed o% lig$t. I% o!servers are "oving relative to eac$ ot$er #it$ a signi%icant speed0 t$e can no longer !e guaranteed to even agree on t$e order in #$ic$ events occurred. ($e #ill strongl disagree on lengt$ "easure"ents in t$e direction o% "otion. /s #e $ave seen #it$ t$e =arn-Hole puCCle0 t$e di%%erent o!servers see so"et$ing co"pletel di%%erent %ro" eac$ ot$er. Heople get ver upset #it$ t$ese &parado?es' as surel !ot$ vie#points can@t !e correct. In &realit ' t$e pole can@t !ot$ %it inside t$e !arn and not %it inside t$e !arn. Bo a"ount o% calculation or dra#ing #ill ever $elp #it$ t$is di%%icult . Bo particular vie#point is an "ore valid t$an an ot$er0 !ut t$e #orld #ill appear di%%erent to t$ese di%%erent o!servers.

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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Jelocit (rans%or"ation
t t t t

Let t$e event A in t$e das$ %ra"e !e due to a particle "oving %ro" t$e origin to so"e *ar!itrar . x value o% p at a speed o% . ($en /5 * p0 p9 ) ($e co-ordinate %ra"es are s nc$ronised suc$ t$at * 00 0 ) 5 * 00 0 . and t$e das$ %ra"e is "oving in t$e x direction at a speed o% . (rans%or" t$e co-ordinates o% A. ($e ratio o% x over t values t$en gives t$e velocit .

p p p ( p , ) =( p + , p + )

x p (1 + velocity = = t p (+

) = + 1 1+ )

Botice t$at t$e *di"ensionless. velocit never goes a!ove 10 even i% !ot$ and are 1. Leslie Green CEng MIEE 2+ v1.00: Jan 2014

Relativistic >oppler S$i%t

t -( -2( -2( ?
Heriodic lig$t %las$es in t$e das$ %ra"e trans%or" to periodic pulses in t$e non-das$ %ra"e0 !ut not at x=0 * 00 -( ) 5 * -(0 -( . So #e "ove t$e %las$es !ac) to t$e x=0 line at t$e speed o% lig$t to %ind t$e true interval T in t$e non-das$ %ra"e *red lines..

t -( 0 -( - ( ?

T= T T T = (1 ) T
T=
#$ic$ can also !e e?pressed as

(12)

(1 ) T =

1 ( 1) T (1 + )(1 )

T=

1 T 1+

Bote t$at t$e sign o% also c$anges #$en t$e sign o% x c$anges. Leslie Green CEng MIEE 2, v1.00: Jan 2014

3rap Ip
3$ilst Special Relativit is essentiall universall accepted as true no#ada s0 over 100 ears since its inception0 t$is #as not al#a s t$e case. It too) "an ears o% increasingl precise e?peri"ental #or) and de!ate a"ongst p$ sicists %or t$is t$eor to gain #idespread acceptance. ($ere%ore do not !e surprised i% t$is !rie% presentation ! a non-specialist is entirel convincing to ou. ($e %act is t$at "uc$ o% t$e deep p$ sics o% Special Relativit 0 General Relativit 0 Kuantu" Mec$anics0 Kuantu" Electro-> na"ics *KE>.0 Kuantu" C$ro"o-> na"ics *KC>.0 and Kuantu" :ield ($eor *K:(. is !e ond ever da co""on sense notions o% $o# t$ings oug$t to !e. ($ese are nevert$eless ver success%ul t$eories in ter"s o% t$eir prediction 9 calculation capa!ilities. 3$en accelerations and9or gravitational %ields are involved0 t$e su!4ect "oves %ro" Special Relativit to General Relativit . Harticle accelerators are t$e )e places #$ere relativistic particles are created and used. In ter"s o% nor"al e?perience0 t$e use o% GHS s ste"s %or in-car navigation are %airl co""on. 3$at is less co""onl )no#n is t$at t$e cloc)s in t$e satellites used to provide t$e GHS s ste" are a%%ected ! Special and General Relativit suc$ t$at corrections need to !e applied to accuratel s nc$ronise and use t$e". *%elativity in the &lobal 'ositioning (ystem ! Beil /s$! L2002M.

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:urt$er Stud
($ere are plent o% internet science 9 p$ sics %oru"s to discuss t$ese ideas or as) ;uestions o% people #$o )no# "uc$ "ore a!out t$is su!4ect t$an "e. ($ere are a great "an te?t !oo)s on Special Relativit availa!le0 and ou #ould $ave to %ind one t$at !est suits ou *i% ou are in t$e "ar)et to actuall !u one.. En t$e ot$er $and0 t$ere are plent o% free resources availa!le on t$e #e! including a %ree #i)i !oo) on Special Relativit . G perlin)s can go dead ;uite ;uic)l 0 !ut a searc$ engine s$ould !e a!le to %ind #$at ou need. 3i)ipedia $as a great "an articles related to Special Relativit and t$e lin)ed pages can $elp ou to e?plore t$e dept$ o% )no#ledge availa!le. So"e general internet searc$ topics include N Special Relativit (i"e dilation Min)o#s)i diagra" 9 Min)o#s)i spaceti"e Physics for Future Presidents *%ree. video lecture series ! Prof Richard Muller0 especiall lectures 21 and 22 *on Special Relativit .. (o !oost our general p$ sics )no#ledge ou could tr t$e *%ree. video lecture series ! Prof Walter Le in. !"ecial Relati#ity $ Electrodyna%ics *%ree. video lecture series ! Prof Leonard !uss&ind. ($is is ver "at$e"aticall !ased lecture series0 part o% $is ($eoretical Mini"u" series0 and could reasona!l !e descri!ed as $ard #or) to stud .

Leslie Green CEng MIEE

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