7

2
Recapitulate
• We discussed two important
consequences of Lorentz
transformation, Length
Contraction and Time Dilation.
• We gave some examples
relating to length contraction.
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Example 1
Measurement of length of a
platform by an observer
stationary on the platform and
another moving in a train with
relativistic speed. Assume both
frames to be inertial.
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
 S’
v

A B

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Define Events

E1: The origin of S’ coinciding with

end A of platform.

E2: The origin of S’ coinciding with

end B of platform.

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Questions

1. Is the co-ordinate difference equal

to length of the platform in any of
the two frames S and S’?
2. Is the time interval between the
two events proper in any frame?

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Discussion
1. The two events occur at two
different ends of the platform.
2. However, time for two events is
different both in S and S’.
3. Hence the co-ordinate difference
will be equal to length of the
platform only in that frame in
which platform is at rest, i.e. S.
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Discussion

1. In S, the two events occur at two

different locations.
2. What an observer in S’ would
feel?
3. Time difference is proper in S’.
9
Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
In S
In S, the length is proper and would
be given as follows.
L x2 x1 v t2 t1
Time interval is dilated
t2 t1 t2 t1
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
In S’
Time interval is proper
t2 t1
Difference in x-co-ordinate
x2 x1 0 L

Length of platform
L v t2 t1 v
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
 L v
t2 t1
v

One thus sees the contracted length

in S’, as expected.
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Example 2
The incoming primary cosmic rays
create -meson in the upper
atmosphere. The life time of -
mesons at rest is 2 s. If the mean
speed of meson is 0.998c, what
fraction of mesons created at the
height of 20 km reach the sea-level?
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Decay time interval 2x10-6 s is proper
in -meson frame. In earth frame it is
dilated.
c=0.998c gives = 15.82

Decay time in earth frame

=15.82x2x10-6s
= 3.164x10-5s
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Time to travel to earth in
earth frame
=20x103/0.998c
= 6.68x10-5s
The fraction reaching earth in
earth frame can be calculate using
t
N
e
No
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
This fraction is 0.12.

Classically it would have been

3.12x10-15.
What would an observer in –
meson frame conclude?

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Example 3
Old Problem about light emission
from the center of a train
compartment.

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
 S’
v
c c

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Events
E1: Light reaching front wall of
the train.

E2: Light Reaching the back wall

of the train.

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
In S’ frame
L L
x1 ; t1
2 2c
L L
x2 ; t2
2 2c
No transformation required to write
these equations.
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Event 1 in S frame
L vL L v
x1 1
2 2c 2 c
L vL L v
t1 2
1
2c 2c 2c c
Inverse Lorentz transformation used.
Assume origins were coincident when
light was emitted.
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Event 2 in S frame
L vL L v
x2 1
2 2c 2 c
L vL L v
t2 1
2c 2c 2 2c c

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
We see that t2 t1

Hence in S, event 2 occurred

before event 1 as was discussed
qualitatively earlier. The time
difference is given below.
Lv
t t1 t2
c2

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Question

Is the co-ordinate difference equal to

length of the train compartment in
S?

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
The difference in co-ordinates of
two events.
L
x x1 x2 2 L
2

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Length in S’
The x1-x2 is an overestimate of
length of the train because t1>t2.
Can we get correct length?

Yes, if we can find out the distance

the train moved in the time
difference.
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
 vΔt

X2 X1
L
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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Length in S
Lv
L x v t L v 2
c
v2 L
L 1
c2

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Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay
Summary

• We discussed some examples of

use of Lorentz Transformation.

29
Prof. Shiva Prasad, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay