PRESENTATION#1

Special Theory Of Relativity

Sehrish Malik (1006)

Ayesha Abbas (1013)
Nimra Farooq (1014)
Zahawa Aslam (1015)
Samak Jahangir (1016)
Section:
M.Phil Physics 1(M)
Submitted to:
Dr. Adnan
Department of Physics.
University Of Okara, Okara.
 Introduction

• By the end of 19th century, that existing physics(now called

classical physics) explained all the phenomena. They
thought that that there was nothing left to be explained.
Classical physics, kinetic theory and Maxwell theory of
electromagnetic radiations was very successful in explaining
many problems in the natural world. The nature of light had
been explained in terms of electromagnetic waves.
• In the early part of 20th century, there was a series of
experiments, which could not be explained on the basis of
classical physics. Classical physics was not able to explain the
behavior of matter on the atomic level and particles moving
on very high speed.
 Modern Physics
• To explain the behavior of very small, tiny particles, and
particles moving with high speed there was dawn of modern
physics.

• 1:- Theory of relativity

• The behavior of an object compare able to the speed of light
are explained by the special theory of relativity.
 Quantum Theory

• The behavior of electromagnetic radiations as

discrete particles of energy and the behavior of tiny
particles(atoms, ions, molecules, electrons, protons
etc) is explained on the “quantum theory” of wave
mechanics.
 Classical Physics

• Classical physics is still valid in ordinary

processes of daily life. But to explain the
behavior of tiny particles or very fast moving
objects, modern physics is used.
 Frame of Reference
“Reference axis relative to which measurements are taken”

Example: If you are in your room, room is the frame of reference foryou.
The position of a table in a room can be located relative to the walls of the room. The
room is then frame of reference.
For measurements taken in a collage laboratory the laboratory is the frame of reference.
Inertial frame of reference:
• At rest or uniform motion
• Acceleration zero
• Earth is considered as inertial frame of reference
• A car is moving with uniform velocity
• Special relativity

Non-Inertial frame of reference:

• In motion
• Non zero acceleration
• Law of physics are not valid in it
• Accelerating car
• General relativity
fig1: car is moving with uniform motion. Fig2: Car is in non-uniform motion (increasing
or decreasing condition).

Fig3: when a body is in inertial frame of reference its acceleration is zero(there is no

surrounding around) , then you cannot tell the difference between rest or uniform motion.
Relative Motion:
The continuous change of position of a body or reference point is
called relative motion.
Rest and motion are not absolute and relative.

• Concept of distances ( Miles-miles aways)

• Concept of up and down ( Earth ball Example).
• Concept of line motion (Object From moving train).
Examples:
• One person infront of us, his right hand is your left and or his left
hand is your right hand. Both have different frame of reference
• One person is sit on chair in a classroom on rest and another person
away from orbit of our planet observes that person which is sit on
chair. That person which is observes, see that earth, sun or galaxy is
moving with 630km/s every day but the person which is sit on chair is
remain at rest. Both persons have different observation but they are
not wrong at there own Observation. Both have different frame of
references.
• One Micky mouse is standing on moving train and bounce ball up or
down so the path of the ball is straight for Mickey mouse. Another
person observes the path of ball along with the moving train so, the
path of ball is parabola for another observer. So both observers are
different path for ball due to difference frame of reference.
So far, You can see that no, two observers were agreed on the same
event And yet both are correct too
But there is one thing on which every observer of the universe will
agree at the same time and that one thing is speed of light (Universal
speed of light 3×108 m/s)
Dimensions of relativity, time dilation, length contraction and mass
variation are correct only when the speed of light is constant. No object
is move faster than speed of light.
Postulate’s of Special theory of relativity:

1st Postulate:
Law of physics are valid in inertial frame of references.

2nd Postulate:
Speed of light is same for all observers
 Result Of Special Theory Of Relativity

•1.  Time dilation:

According to S.T.R time is not absolute, its value is different according to

different frames.
Time measured by stationary frame of reference=
Time measured by moving frame of reference= t
•   t=
As,

Then
<1
So, t
So, the time interval is dilated due to relative motion of observer
and the frame of reference.
This result applies to all timing processes such as; physical,
chemical and biological. Even aging processes of human body is
slowed at very high speed.
 2. Length Contraction:
•  
The distance from earth
to a star measured by
an observer in a moving
spaceship would seem
smaller than the distance measured by
an observer on earth. It means that if you are in motion relative to two points
that is a fixed distance. The distance between the two points appear shorter
than if you were at rest relative to them. This effect is called length contraction.
Distance measured by observer at rest= proper length=
Distance measured by observer in motion= , which is given by

As, 1 ;
3.Mass variation with velocity:
•  According to S.T.R mass of an object is not constant. It varies with
velocity.
Rest mass of object=
Mass of the same object
moving with velocity =m

As,

V<c; < <1

So,
m>
So mass of an object increases with velocity.
When speed of light approaches to c its mass approaches to infinity.
4.Mass energy relation:
•  

According to S.T.R. mass and energy are different quantities but are
interconvertible.
The total energy E and mass M of an object are related by
E= m
m= relativistic mass
The rest mass energy is
=
= rest mass
The difference of energy is due to its motion and kinetic energy.