Introduction to Special Relativity

Joan J. Cáceres | UNI-Perú

Galilean Transformations (1639)

How we change our description of the coordinate system?

Galilean Transformations (1639)
Newton’s Laws (1687)
Does the law that governs the movement change in this new coordinate system?
Maxwell’s Laws (1865)
Michelson – Morley Interferometer (1887)
Michelson – Morley Interferometer (1887)
Michelson – Morley Interferometer (1887)
Einstein’s Postulates (1905)
● The laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of
reference.

● As measured in any inertial frame of reference, light is always

propagated in empty space with a definite velocity c that is
independent of the state of motion of the emitting body. Or:
the speed of light in free space has the same value c in all
inertial frames of reference.
Relativistic concepts:
● Event: A physical event is something that happens, like the closing of a door, a
lightning strike, the collision of two particles, your birth, etc.

Independent of the particular IRF. Do NOT “belong” to any RF

● Observer: The observer will be an array of recording clocks located throughout

the inertial reference system.

Limited to summarizing the data collected from the clock memories!

● Synchronization: With a flash of light that spreads out as a spherical wave in all
directions.
Relativity of Simultaneity
● Two spatially separated events simultaneous in one reference
frame are not, in general, simultaneous in another inertial
frame moving relative to the first.

Corollary:

● Clocks synchronized in one reference frame are not, in

general, synchronized in another inertial frame moving
relative to the first.
Simultaneity

Two events are

simultaneous in an IRF if
the light signals from the
events reach an observer
halfway between them at
the same time as recorded
by a clock at that location.
Exercise
A light flash occurs on
Earth midway between two
Earth clocks. At the instant
of the flash the midpoint of
a passing spaceship
coincides with the light
source.
Lorentz Transformation
Isotropy of space:

We ASSUME:

WHY?
Lorentz Transformation
𝛾(x,t,v) ? NO!
● Not x : Homogeneity of space.
● Not t: Homogeneity of time.
● Not v: Isotropy of space.

So… 𝛾(v): Depends only of the relative speed.

Exercise: Why not assume: x’ = x - vt + K ?
Lorentz Transformation
Next derivations… (to be continued)

● Time dilation.
● Length contraction.
● Twin paradox.
● Relativistic dynamic.
● E = mc².
● General relativity.