Vandaag

• A.3: Spacetime diagrams (40 min)

• A.3: Simultaneous (40 min)
• Spacetime diagram practice and practice test (rest)
A.3: Space-time diagram
 A.3: Spacetime diagram

Spacetime diagram gives time and space for

multiple reference frames
 A.3: Spacetime diagram

Imagine you are the tree, what do you see

happen to the other objects?
 A.3: Spacetime diagram

Red, black and blue are

world lines.

S is an event
 A.3: Spacetime diagram

How will the spacetime

diagram look for the
reference frame of the
dog?
 A.3: Spacetime diagram
Imagine you are a police agent standing on a bridge:

Car A is going with 4 m/s in the x direction

Car B is going with 2 m/s in the x direction
Draw the spacetime diagram for the police agent, car A
and car B
 A.3: Spacetime diagram

How does red line change

when dog goes faster?
A.3: Spacetime diagram

Ruimte-tijd diagram?
 A.3: Spacetime diagram
So far separate space-time
diagrams have been made for
moving observer (dog) and
stationary observer (tree/house):

Now we combine both in one space-

time diagram!
 A.3: Spacetime diagram
Space-time diagram containing two axes: one
that moves (') and one that is stationary
 A.3: Spacetime diagram
How do you read the graph? (x en x’, t en t’)
A.3: Simultaneous
 A.3: Simultaneous
Opdracht 1: Draw a spacetime diagram for two reference
frames: one at rest and one that is moving moving with a
velocity of 0.4 c.

Compare for an event S the time t1 and t1’. Do the

two observers say the event is at the same time?
 A.3: Simultaneous
Do exercises 7, 8 (p. 554-555) from the oxford course
book (course book.pdf under files)

Afterwards extra practice:

4bc and 5 (p. 553-554) from the oxford course book

The questions in the practice test (practice test

relativity.pdf)
 Special Relativity Part 2: Time Dilation

I have split the PowerPoint Presentation into two parts to fit unto my web page. This part 2 and
continues where Part 1 left off.
Time Dilation

What effect does this notion have on time?

Galilean and Newtonian Physics would say that time is invariant with respect to motion. That is time is
an absolute in the universe.
Einstein showed us that this is not so. Time will be measured at different rates in different reference
frames.

This is not an easy concept to grasp. Mostly because we live everyday at

such slow speeds. Nevertheless it has been proven true. As a matter of fact
our GPS satellite system is only as accurate as it is due to the use of
Einstein's equation.
Time Dilation

What effect does this notion have on time?

Galilean and Newtonian Physics would say that time is invariant with respect to motion. That is time is
an absolute in the universe.
Einstein showed us that this is not so. Time will be measured at different rates in different reference
frames.

This is not an easy concept to grasp. Mostly because we live everyday at

such slow speeds. Nevertheless it has been proven true. As a matter of fact
our GPS satellite system is only as accurate as it is due to the use of
Einstein's equation.
 Time Dilation

Imagine a very simple clock … a clock that generates a photon of light and a mirror that reflects that photon
back to a detector.

Examine a picture of such a clock on the right.

Click on the link below to see this clock in action:

Light Clock Experiment Simulation

Time Dilation

The clock is turned on and examined from two reference frames … one moving with the clock and the other
stationary viewing the clock from afar.

The path of light for as seen by

each observer would be different.

Since the speed of light is

constant, the time as measured
by each observer for this event
will be different.
Time Dilation

The observer moving with the clock will see the event taking much
shorter than the stationary observer will see.

Lets us do some math to see why this is.

mirror
Time = distance/velocity

For observer moving with

d
t = 2d/c the clock.

detector
Time Dilation

d D

V = 0.5 c
For stationary observer The same event would be seen taking two different
t’ = 2D/c times by two observers in 2 separate reference frames.

Since D >> d and c = c, then t’ >> t

Time Dilation

The equation for time dilation becomes:

Check out this video for the time dilation:

t = γt’
Time Dilation Equation Video

Where
t’
t =
t = time for non-moving reference frame
1 - v2/c2
t’ = time for moving reference frame

v = speed of moving reference frame

c = speed of light
Time Dilation

Ex. 1

Two clocks are synchronized before one is placed on a high speed spaceship. The spaceship travels for 2 hours ship
time at 0.90c (0.90 x 3.00 x 108 m/s). How much time will have elapsed on the stationary clock?

t’ 2.0 h
= 2.0 h
t = =
1 - v2/c2 1 - 0.902/c2 1 - 0.902/c2

2.0 h 2.0 h
t= = = 4.36 h

.19 0.436
Time Dilation

Ex. 2

Two clocks are synchronized before one is placed on a high speed spaceship. The spaceship travels for 5 y hours at
0.95c (0.95 x 3.00 x 108 m/s) as measured by the stationary clock. How much time will have elapsed on the ship
clock?

This time you are given the stationary time and have to find the moving clocks time. You will need to
rearrange the equation:

t’ = t x 1 - v2/c2 = 5yx 1 - 0.952/c2 = 5yx 0.0975

t’ = 5 y x 0.3122 = 1.56 y Will elapse on the ship!

Length Contraction

There is another way of looking at this time dilation. Let us examine trip to a far away star in a high speed
spaceship.
5 light-years

Ship time says this trip took only 1.76 y.

Earth time says this trip took more 5 years.

T = d/v = 5 ly/0.95 ly = 5.26 y

 Length Contraction

The people on board would say the reason the trip only takes 1.76 y is because they have only travelled 1.672 light-years
instead of 5 light-years.
In other words, the moving reference frame
will measure a different (shorter) length than
1.76 ly the stationary reference frame.

Space is not absolute! The length

measurements that are made depend on the
relative motion of the measurer or the
reference frame.

Only when two observers are in the same reference frame will the two length measurements be in complete
agreement.
Length Contraction

This is a challenging concept to comprehend. Motion alters space because of how length measurements are
made. They involve measuring the time it takes to travel some distance. Since time not absolute, length can’t
be absolute either!

There is also a reciprocal effect on a moving spaceship. What would a stationary observer see as a high
speed spaceship moved past him at a high rate of speed?

?
v=0 v = 0.50c v = 0.90c v=c
Length Contraction

The faster a spaceship travels, the more contracted in length it becomes to a stationary observer. Each observer, the non-
moving one and the moving one would see each others space contracted in the direction of motion!

Using the Lorentz Contraction equations again:

Where:
L’ = L x (1/γ)
L = length for non-moving reference frame (proper length)

L’ = length as measured by moving reference frame or by stationary

L’ = L x 1 - v2/c2 reference frame as moving object flies by

v = speed of moving reference frame

c = speed of light
Length Contraction

Ex. 1

A 125 m long spaceship (proper length) flies by a stationary earthbound observer at 0.99c. What length will
the earth observer measure the spaceship to be?

L’ = L x 1 - v2/c2 = 125 m x 1 - .992/c2

L’ = 125 m x 0.0199 = 125 m x 0.141

L’ = 17.6 m
Length Contraction

At this time it is important to discuss Proper Time and Proper Length. Although time and length is not
absolute we can still use a notion called Proper time and Proper Length to talk about time and length for
observers.

Proper time and length is the time and length as measured by an observer at rest with the clocks and rulers
doing the measuring. For example if the reference frame was travelling at 0.50 C and an observer in that
reference frame measures his time and length. it would be called proper time and length.

If the moving observer measures the time or length on some other reference frame, it would not be considered
to be “proper”.
 Space – Time Diagrams
Space-time Video

We can represent motion in space and time on a set of axes. We would need 3
perpendicular axes for motion and one more for time. Let us simply this, to show
time and a single direction in space, the x-axis.
a) What would non-motion (stationary object) look like on this set of axes?
time Obs. B
Since time still progresses even if you do not move, a vertical line along
Obs. A
the time axis as shown in black. Another observer located at some
distance away from A, but not moving would also have a vertical world
future line.
Moving
Object
b) What does constant velocity, v, look like on this set of axes?

Since distance X = v x t, and your velocity is constant you would get

present some sort of angled line as shown by the red line. The greater the
X (direction in space) gradient the greater the speed.
past
Space – Time Diagrams
Minkowski space time diagrams Video
Long Space Time Video

Let’s change the axis a little to make better use of high speeds. Time axis becomes ct (speed of
light multiplied by time) and distance becomes measure in light-seconds or light-years (distance
light travels in a certain period of time
ct
0.5 c

c When these axes are chosen, the fastest speed possible, the speed of light,
c, is shown as a line angled at 45o (as shown). This the world-line for light.

Since this is the fastest speed possible, objects will have to travel at angles of
less than 45o as shown. This the world-line for your object.

Objects can not travel faster than light so all moving objects must be shown
Ls or ly as a diagonal line between the time line and the speed of light world line.
Space – Time Diagrams

Remember we have different frames of reference. This graph represents a non-

moving inertial reference frame (ct vs ls).
ct’
ct The faster the object travels in the new reference frame the closer to the
c diagonal speed of light line the new axes become.

Ls’ What would a moving reference, ct’ vs ls’ frame look like when looked at
ϴ from a non-moving reference frame?

This would look like a new set of axes, angled when compared to the old
ones.
ϴ
Note: The two angles, ϴ, must be exactly the same!
ls or ly
Space – Time Diagrams

ct 0.5 c c On this grid, the speed of light would cover 1 unit of distance in
unit of time. For example in 1 second light would travel a
distance of 1 light-sec.

So how would the graph of an object travelling at 0.5 c be

shown?

This object travels a distance of 0.5 ls for every 1 sec of time

ls or ly
Space – Time Diagrams
Simultaneous Events Video

How are different events seen by two different reference frames … one a
non-moving one (ct vs ls) and the other travelling at high speeds (ct’ vs
0.5 c c ls’)?
ct
Z Lets place 3 events on our grid. Events X, W and Z.
W

Time as measured by a non moving observer is done by drawing

X horizontal lines from the event back to the ct axis.
ls’’
Since X, occurs before W, and W occurs before Z, our stationary
observer would say the order of events was:

ls or ly
X, then W then Z
Space – Time Diagrams

Now lets us look at these same events from a high speed reference
frame (ct’ vs ls’).
ct’ In this reference frame the time lines would have to be parallel to the
ct ls’ axis to intercept the ct’ axis (as shown).

Z According to this moving observer the correct order of events is:

W c

X, then Z then W
X
ls’’
This is not the same as for the stationary observer!

Observers in different reference frames will not agree to the

ls or ly sequence of events! Welcome to relativity!
 Space – Time Diagrams

Twins Paradox explained by space – time graphs

Luke’s World line

ct • Imagine two twins, Luke and Leah. Luke is a stay at home kind of
guy (He is FORCED to stay home by his FATHER), while Leah is an
Leah’s World line adventurer and likes to travel to far away places.
c
• Leah boards a high speed spaceship and travels at high speed for 10
years return journey ship time to Star P.

• According to relativity she would have aged less than Luke. He could
have aged 15 or 20 years depending on Leah’s speed.

Ls or ly
Space – Time Diagrams

Twins Paradox explained by space – time graphs

So where is the paradox?

From Leah’s Reference frame, she is stationary and Luke is moving away from here at high speeds so Luke
should experience less time passing.

They can’t both be younger!!!! Hence the paradox!

The answer to the paradox is that there is no symmetry between the two cases!
 Space – Time Diagrams

Luke’s World line • Leah has to accelerate up to speed, then accelerate to turn around, and
ct eventually accelerate to slow down upon returning to earth.

• She would be in a non-inertial reference frame while Luke would always

Leah’s World line c be in an inertial reference frame. Leah would know she’s the one moving
due to acceleration. Luke would not experience this acceleration and know
P
that he is not the one moving away at high speeds.

• Leah arrives at the far away star at Event Point P

ly’

ly
 Space – Time Diagrams

• If you draw the parallel line back to the ct origin, Luke would say that
Luke’s World line
ct Leah arrived at Star P at time Q.

• Leah on the other hand, says that she arrived at the Star P at time R,
Leah’s World line c Which is less than Luke would say it took.
S P
• They would disagree on the simultaneity of the two events Q and R
Q (relating to when Leah arrived at Star P.
R
ly’
At this stage they both think the other is younger by a factor of γ as
predicted by time dilation.
ly
 Space – Time Diagrams

When Leah’s turns around and returns home she will have aged less than
Luke’s World line
ct Luke did. Their clocks were in difference frames of reference and will no
longer agree to the time that has elapsed.
End
Leah’s World line c However, now that they back in the same reference frame they will be in sync
until the one of the twins goes on another high speed adventure!
S P
Q
R
ly’

ly
Length Contraction (Space Time Diagrams)

One last thing, lets look at length contraction on a space time diagram.

Remember that each person, stationary and moving, are travelling

along their own world lines. They would also say that each others
length is shorter according to:

L’ = L x (1/γ)

How can this be?

(Stationary Blue world line and Moving

Red world line.)
Length Contraction (Space Time Diagrams)

A moving observer would measure the length of his/her object along

the ct’ vs x’ axis and say the object is Δx’ long (shown in light blue).

A stationary observer watching the high speed object fly by would

project the length Δx’onto his axes of ct vs x and would measure the
length to be Δx (shown in orange).

A similar effect will be seen if a stationary observer measures one

length, and a moving observer flying by would measure a shorter
length!

For a more detailed discussion see this: Complete Length Contraction Discussion
Space – Time Diagrams

If you think Special Relativity was challenging, you should try General Relativity which deals with accelerated
reference frames.

Gravity is an illusion. Mass warps space and time and creates gravity, slows down time and predicts black holes!

If you want to know more, find a good book

on it or take an advance Physics course!