Forest Relativity Notes

Lorentz Transformations

The picture below represents the relative orientation of two different coordinate systems $(S, S^{\prime})$ . $S$ is at rest (Lab Frame) and $S^{\prime}$ is moving at a velocity v to the right with respect to frame $S$.

The relationship between the coordinate$(x,y,z,ct)$ of an object in frame $S$ to the same object described using the coordinates $(x^{\prime},y^{\prime},z^{\prime},ct^{\prime})$ in frame $S^{\prime}$ is geven by the Lorentz transformation:

$x^{\mu^{\prime}} = \sum_{\nu=0}^3 \Lambda_{\nu}^{\mu} x^{\nu}$

where

$x^0 \equiv ct$

$x^1 \equiv x$

$x^2\equiv y$

$x^3\equiv z$

$\Lambda = \left [ \begin{matrix} \gamma & -\gamma \beta & 0 & 0 \\ -\gamma \beta & \gamma &0 &0 \\ 0 &0 &1 &0 \\ 0 &0 &0 &1\end{matrix} \right ]$

$\beta = \frac{v}{c}$

$\gamma = \frac{1}{\sqrt{1 -\beta^2}}$

example

$x^{0^{\prime}} = \sum_{\nu=0}^2 \Lambda_{\nu}^0 x^{\nu} = \Lambda_0^0 x^0 + \Lambda_1^0 x^1 \Lambda_2^0 x^2 + \Lambda_3^0 x^2$

$ct^{\prime}= \gamma x^0 - \gamma \beta x^1 + 0 x^2 + 0 x^3 = \gamma ct - \gamma \beta x = \gamma(ct -\beta x)$

Or in matrix form the tranformation looks like

$\left ( \begin{matrix} ct^{\prime} \\ x^{\prime} \\ y^{\prime} \\ z^{\prime} \end{matrix} \right )= \left [ \begin{matrix} \gamma & -\gamma \beta & 0 & 0 \\ -\gamma \beta & \gamma &0 &0 \\ 0 &0 &1 &0 \\ 0 &0 &0 &1\end{matrix} \right ] \left ( \begin{matrix} ct \\ x \\ y \\ z \end{matrix} \right )$

Note

Einstein's summation convention drops the $\sum$ symbols and assumes it to exist whenever there is a repeated subscript and uperscript

ie; $x^{\mu^{\prime}} = \Lambda_{\nu}^{\mu} x^{\nu}$

in the example above the$\nu$ symbol is repeated thereby indicating a summation over $\nu$.