Notes by Prof. Arun Shridharan Pillai + 91 9819110096 / [email protected].
in
Pillai College of Engineering
CHAPTER 4
RELATIVITY - Set II
Time Dilation, Length Contraction and Mass-Energy relation.
LORENTZ TRANSFORMATIONS
Where
1
ϒ = 2
√1− 𝑣2
𝑐
4.5 LENGTH CONTRACTION
In Classical or Newtonian mechanics, the length of the object is a constant, means it is same
for stationary or for a moving frame of reference.
Consider a rod (XaXb) at rest in the moving frame S’ frame. Let v be the velocity of the S’
frame. If the observer is in the S’ frame length of the rod
L0= Xb’- Xa’
At the same time length measured by the observer from the S frame
L= Xb- Xa
By Lorentz transformation we have x’ = ϒ (x-vt)
So xa’ = ϒ (xa-vt) and xb’ = ϒ (xb-vt)
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Notes by Prof. Arun Shridharan Pillai + 91 9819110096 /
[email protected]Pillai College of Engineering
L0= xb’ – xa’ = ϒ (xb-xa)
1
Hence L0 = ϒ L Where ϒ = 2
√1− 𝑣2
𝑐
𝒗𝟐
L = L0 . √𝟏 − 𝒄𝟐
𝒗𝟐
Th length of the rod is reduced by (√𝟏 − ) when measured by an observer moving
𝒄𝟐
with a velocity v. This reduction of moving length is called LENGTH
CONTRACTION.
4.6 TIME DILATION
Consider a frame of reference S and a moving frame S’ frame. Let v be the velocity of the
S’ frame along the x- axis.
Consider a alarm switched ON in the S’ frame at x’ and time t1’. The alarm is switched OFF
in the same position at t2’.
Both the events occur in the S’ frame at the same position. The time difference between the 2
events can be
t0 = t2’-t1’
Using Lorentz Inverse transformations
𝑥′𝑣
t2 = ϒ (t2’+ 𝑐 2 )
𝑥′𝑣
t1 = ϒ (t1’+ 𝑐 2 )
𝒕𝟐′ −𝒕𝟏′
t2-t1 = ϒ (t2-t1) = 𝟐
√𝟏− 𝒗𝟐
𝒄
𝒗𝟐
Actual time in the moving frame is increased by a factor (√𝟏 − ) when noticed by
𝒄𝟐
an observer in the stationary frame. This phenomena is called as time dilation
4.7 ENERGY MASS RELATION
In classical mechanics , mass is a constant in fixed, moving or any frame of reference.In the
special theory of relativity the mass of the body changes.
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Notes by Prof. Arun Shridharan Pillai + 91 9819110096 /
[email protected]Pillai College of Engineering
Let the mass of the moving body be ‘m’ and it is called as RELATIVISTIC MASS. Let m0
be the rest mass and v be the velocity of the moving mass.
𝒎𝟎
m = 𝟐
√𝟏− 𝒗𝟐
𝒄
Taking Squares on both sides
𝑣2
m2 (1- ) = m02
𝑐2
Multiplying with c2
m2 𝑐 2 - m2 v2 = m02 𝑐 2
Differentiating the above equation we get
2mc2 dm – 2mv2 dm – 2m2v dv =0
Dividing the above equation by (2m)
c2 dm –v2 dm – mv dv =0
c2 dm = v2 dm + mv dv
Consider Newtons second law of motion in non-relativistic mechanics. Consider
a body of mass ‘m’ moving with a velocity v and force F acting in the same
direction as velocity v. The work done(dW) to put the body in motion is the
change in kinetic energy in the particle (dk).
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ (where 𝑑𝑠
dk = dW = 𝐹⃗ . 𝑑𝑠 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ is the displacement)
𝑑𝑝
Force is defined as the rate of change of momentum . Hence 𝐹⃗ =
𝑑𝑡
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
dk = dW = 𝐹⃗ . 𝑑𝑠 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ is the displacement)
(where 𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝑝
= ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
. 𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝑡
dk = 𝑑𝑝 .v
For a non relativistic particle p=mv
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Notes by Prof. Arun Shridharan Pillai + 91 9819110096 /
[email protected]Pillai College of Engineering
dp = m dv + v dm
Substituting in the above equation,
dk = mv dv + v2 dm
RHS of Equation is equal, hence
𝑑𝑘 = c2 dm
𝑘 𝑚
∫0 𝑑𝑘 = ∫𝑚 𝑐 2 𝑑𝑚
0
[k-0] = [m- 𝑚0 ] . 𝑐 2
k = m 𝑐 2 - 𝑚0 . 𝑐 2
k + 𝑚0 . 𝑐 2 = m 𝑐 2
In the above equation 𝑚0 . 𝑐 2 is the rest mass energy of the particle.
Kinetic Energy + 𝑚0 . 𝑐 2 = Energy
Kinetic Energy + 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = Energy
Energy (E) = m 𝑐 2
Einstein’s Mass Energy Relation is E= mc2
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