PHYS4350: General Relativity

Assignment #6

Spring 2013

This assignment was last updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013. Due date: Monday, February 25, 2013 The chapter and problem numbers refer to the text Gravity: An Introduction to Einsteins General Theory of Relativity, James B. Hartle. Problems from Chapter 4: Principles of Special Relativity 1. Use the Lorentz boost equations [Eqs. (4.21) in the text] to derive the time dilation and Lorentz contraction results. Clearly explain your arguments. 2. This is a restatement of Chapter 4, Problem 13. Consider two IRFs O(t, x ) and O (t x ). Let O be moving relative to O at a speed v along their common + x x axes. Also assume at t = t = 0, x = x = 0. Two events occur simultaneously in O separated by x = 3.0 m. In O one event occurs later than the other by 108 s. (A) Sketch the situation on a spacetime diagram clearly showing the events according to O and O . Label the the intervals x, ct , and x . (B) Determine the spatial distance between the two events in O (x ) using the Lorentz boost equation [Eqs. (4.21) in text]. (C) Determine the spatial distance between the two events in O (x ) using the invariance of the spacetime interval between the two events. i.e., s2 = s 2 . 3. Chapter 4, Problem 15. 4. This is a restatement of Chapter 4, Problem 18. (A) Consider two timelike separated events in O in which t = 0 and x = 0. Show that there exists an IRF O in which t = 0 and x = 0. Describe the result in plain English. (B) Consider two timelike separated events A and B in O in which t := t B t A > 0. Show that in any other IRF O , t := t B t A > 0. Discuss the physical signicance of this result. (C) Consider two spacelike separated events in O in which t = 0 and x = 0. Show that there exists an IRF O in which t = 0 and x = 0. Describe the result in plain English.

Balraj Menon, UCA menonb@uca.edu

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