4-vectors

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4-vectors

Using index notation, the time and space coordinates can be combined into a single "4-vector" [math]x^{\mu},\ \mu=0,\ 1,\ 2,\ 3[/math], that has units of length, i.e. ct is a distance.

[math]\begin{bmatrix} x^0 \\ x^1 \\ x^2 \\ x^3 \end{bmatrix}= \begin{bmatrix} ct \\ x \\ y \\ z \end{bmatrix}[/math]

Using the Lorentz transformations and the index notation,

[math] \begin{cases} t'=\gamma (t-vz/c^2) \\ x'=x' \\ y'=y' \\ z'=\gamma (z-vt) \end{cases} [/math]

[math]\begin{bmatrix} x'^0 \\ x'^1 \\ x'^2\\ x'^3 \end{bmatrix}= \begin{bmatrix} \gamma (x^0-vx^3/c) \\ x^1 \\ x^2 \\ \gamma (x^3-vx^0) \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} \gamma (x^0-\beta x^3) \\ x^1 \\ x^2 \\ \gamma (x^3-vx^0) \end{bmatrix}[/math]

Where [math]\beta \equiv \frac{v}{c}[/math]

We can express the space time interval using the index notation

[math](ds)^2\equiv c^2 dt^{'2}-dx^{'2}-dy^{'2}-dz^{'2}= c^2 dt^{2}-dx^2-dy^2-dz^2[/math]

[math](ds)^2\equiv (dx^0)^{'2}-(dx^1)^{'2}-(dx^2)^{'2}-(dx^3)^{'2}= (dx^0)^{2}-(dx^1)^2-(dx^2)^2-(dx^3)^2[/math]

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