Lecture 4

Relativity of Simultaneity Revisited

Two events simultaneous in one inertial frame are not simultaneous in any other inertial frame moving relative to the first. OR Clocks synchronized in one inertial frame are not synchronized in any other inertial frame moving relative to the first.

v=0

ct

v0

ct ct

x = xi + vt
x

x O A B C O A B C

Lecture 4

Lorentz Transformation
Requirements: Transformation must be linear in both space and time coordinates Transformation must reduce to Galilean transformation for sufficiently small values of the relative speed between two inertial frames Mathematically, we have

x = ax + bt x = ax bt

x=0

x = 0

v=b

Lecture 4

Lorentz Transformation-Contd
Now, consider the motion of a light pulse originating at the origin of both inertial frames

x = ct x = ct

ct = a(ct ) + bt = (ac + b)t ct = a(ct ) bt = (ac b)t

c = a c b
2 2 2

= a 2 (c 2 v 2 )

ac + b t c = = c t ac b

Lecture 4

Lorentz Transformation-Contd

(v ) a =

1 1 v
2

Lorentz factor

c2

bt = x ax = x a(ax bt ) = x a x + abt = (1 a ) x + abt

2 2

1 a t = x + at b

1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 a v /c 1 v / c v 1 v c = = = 2 2 2 b v v 1 v / c c

Lecture 4

Lorentz Transformation-Contd

v vx t = 2 x + t = t 2 c c
To summarize

x = ( x vt ) y = y z = z t = (t vx 2 ) c

x = ( x + vt ) y = y z = z t = (t + vx 2 ) c

Lecture 4

Relationship between Inertial Frames

The time axis in S follows:

x = ( x vt ) 0 x = vt = (v / c)(ct )

ct

ct

ct = (1 / ) x
The spatial axis in S follows: 2

t = (t vx / c ) 0 t = vx / c ct = x
2

x O O x

Lecture 4

Coupling of Space and Time

x = ( x vt ) t = (t vx 2 ) c
(x1, t1) (x2, t2)

x2 x1 = [( x2 x1 ) v(t 2 t1 )] t1 = (t 2 t1 ) v( x2 x1 ) 2 t2 c

Lecture 4

Length Contraction
A rod is at rest in S, and lies along the x-axis. Let its two ends be denoted by space-time coordinates (x1 , t1) and (x2 , t2), then the length of the rod is always measured as

L p = x2 x1
L = x2 (t) x1 (t)

Proper Length

Now, what is the length of the rod as measured by an observer in S?

x1 = (x1 vt) x2 = (x2 vt)

x2 x1 = (x2 x1 ) L = Lp v2 1 c2

Lecture 4

Time Dilation
A clock is at rest in S. Consider two events corresponding to different readings of the clock, (x , t1 ) and (x , t2 ). The time interval between the two events in S is denoted by

p = t 2 t1

Proper Time

what is the time interval between the same two events as measured by an observer in S ?

t1 = (t1 + vx

c t 2 = (t 2 + vx 2 ) c

t 2 t1 = (t 2 t1 ) p = v2 2 1 c

Lecture 4

Relativistic Doppler Effect

v t = t + 2 x c
If the time interval represents the period of the light wave,

v t = t + 2 x c
light

1 1 t = , t = f fp

v t = t + 2 (ct ) c
fp : proper frequency, if the source of light is at rest in S.

1 v c f= fp 1+ v c

Lecture 4

Redshift and Blueshift

beta value

=v
z

Lorentz factor z>0 z<0

= 1

We define

( fp f )

redshift blueshift

1 f= fp 1+
If

( z + 1) 2 1 = ( z + 1) 2 + 1
z

<< 1,

Lecture 4

Transverse Doppler Effect

v t = t + 2 x c
1 1 t = , t = f fp
x = 0

t = (t )

f=

fp

Transverse Doppler shift always represents redshift!

General formula for Doppler shift:

fp 1 f= 1 cos

Lecture 4

Reading Assignments
Chapter 1, 1-6