Questions tagged [special-relativity]
The special theory of relativity describes the motion and dynamics of objects moving at significant fractions of the speed of light.
13
questions
0
votes
0
answers
22
views
Interpretation of degenerate metrics
I was studying the metric tensor and saw all about degenerate metrics. I would like what is the physical or geometrical intuition of a degenerate metric.
What is the meaning of $g(v,w) = 0$ for a ...
- 67
0
votes
0
answers
72
views
Physical intuition for the Minkowski space? [closed]
As the title suggests, I am looking for physical intuition to better understand the Minkowski metric.
My original motivation is trying to understand the necessity for distinguishing between co-variant ...
-2
votes
3
answers
64
views
Clocks are not synchronized in moving system (book of David J. Griffiths) [closed]
In the electrodynamics book of David J. Griffiths, in section 12.1.2, there is a paragraph about the synchronization of the clocks on a moving train. I don't understand why " Clocks that are ...
2
votes
1
answer
55
views
How to properly combine kinetic and gravitational time dilation effect?
I developed a time dilation calculator that includes both kinetic (Lorentz Factor) and gravitational (Schwarzschild Metric Formula) factors to assess the time difference between Earth and satellites. ...
2
votes
2
answers
102
views
Given a representation $(n, m)$ of the Lorentz group, is the little group representation just the tensor product $n \otimes m$?
I've been reading Weinberg's QFT Vol 1. and more specifically section 5.6. I would like to know if my understanding is correct or if I missed something. He starts with the full Lorentz group $\mathrm{...
- 2,056
0
votes
0
answers
60
views
Split Pauli Four-vector as quadratic terms of spinors
If I have the Pauli Four-vector $$x_{\mu}\sigma^{\mu} = \left(\begin{array}{cc}
t+z & x-i y \\
x+i y & t-z
\end{array}\right)$$ with $\sigma^0$ as Identity Matrix. Is there some way to write ...
0
votes
1
answer
52
views
Length Contraction: is $t'$ or $t = 0$?
To demonstrate my confusion - let's say there is a rod traveling with velocity +v relative to S, and in S, the length of the rod is measured to be $L$.
If I want to go from S to S', the frame where a ...
- 60
1
vote
0
answers
59
views
Where does the angular momentum of relativistic objects go? [closed]
Suppose you are floating in outer space and there is a massive sphere of mass $1 \text{kg}$ next to you and radius $1$ meter and an angular velocity of $1$ revolutions a second. Using the formula for ...
- 2,979
2
votes
1
answer
104
views
Physical meaning of $vx/c^2$ in Lorentz transformation
In Lorentz transformation, this is the formula of time dilation
$$ t' = \gamma \left( t - \frac{vx}{c^2} \right) $$
It can be derivated from the formula of length contraction and be proved ...
- 33
1
vote
2
answers
83
views
Who will die first between two people on different spaceships, where both are in inertial frames? [duplicate]
Here's something that's really been confusing me.
If two people on separate spaceships pass each other by, where both are in inertial frames, person A (on spaceship 1) could say that he is at rest and ...
- 11
-3
votes
0
answers
53
views
Are the optical medium of 10.1007/BF00758153 and the Lorentz Ether of 10.1007/s00006-011-0303-7 the same thing? [closed]
On the gravitational field acting as an optical medium
A Generalization of the Lorentz Ether to Gravity with General-Relativistic Limit
The first paper seems to be facing a question: whether there ...
- 13
0
votes
0
answers
20
views
From velocity distribution to wave vector distribution [closed]
If I have a Maxwell-Boltzmann 3D velocity distribution, is it possible to convert this into a distribution in terms of relativistic wave vector $k$?
- 13
2
votes
1
answer
52
views
Causality for gauge dependent operators in quantum field theories
Suppose that $\mathcal{A}_{ij...}(x)$ and $\mathcal{B}_{ij...}( x')$ are two gauge dependent (so non-observable) operator in some theory. If they are spacelike, should I impose the causality ...
- 43