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Chapter 19

Special Theory Of Relativity:


Kinematics

Exercises
1. Write down all the equations discussed in the present chapter with time in the units
of second.
solution:

Do it yourself!

2. A young woman voyages to the one of the nearest star 5 light-years away. She travels
in a spaceship at a velocity of c/2. When she returns to Earth, how much younger
would she be than her twin brother who stayed home?
Solution:
Speed of the spaceship is vr = c/2 or r = 1/2. In Earth frame, the time taken to reach
the star = 10 years. We assume that the voyagers rocket can turn instantaneously,
and start travelling towards the Earth with the speed vr = c/2.
Total time when the voyager returns = 20 years
p
3
In the rocket frame t = (20 years) 1 2r =
20 = 17.32 years
2
So the travelling twin is younger by 2.68 years.

According to the ship frame, the twin brother on the Earth would be travelling, so
he should be younger. However, symmetry is broken since the moving twin experience acceleration and deceleration. The person who experiences acceleration and
deceleration would be younger.
3. Time dilation in relativity can be derived by the following simple argument. Consider
a moving train inside which a laser beam is fired vertically upward. The laser beam
gets reflected from the roof of the train, and received at the starting point. What will
be the motion of the laser beam for a stationary observer outside the train? Using
the constancy of the speed of light, show that time is dilated for the outside observer.
Solution:
The two events are:
A: The laser shot from the bottom.
B: The laser reaches the bottom after reflection.
If the height of the train is h, then time difference between the two events in the train
frame: t 0 = 2h. Here we measure time in meters.
In the laboratory frame, suppose the time difference
p is t, then, as shown in the
figure, the distance travelled by light would be 2 h2 + (r t/2)2 , where r is the
relative velocity of the train wrt the lab. Hence, the time difference between the two
events in the laboratory frame would be
p
t = 2 h2 + (r t/2)2 ,
which yields
t = t 0 .
Thus time is dilated by a factor in the lab. Note that the above result hinges on
the fact that the speed of light is the same in both the reference frames.
4. Elementary particle pion is unstable and decays with a proper half-life of 1.8108 sec.
What is the pions half-life measured in a frame S that moves with (a) 100 m/s; (b)
0.9c; (c) 0.99c.
Solution:
t 0 = 1.8 108 sec

t = t 0 = t 0 /

1 v2 /c2

(a) Vr = 100 m/s


q
t = 1.8 x 108 / 1

2
100
3 x 108

1.8 x 108 sec

(b) Vr = 0.9 c

t = 1.8 x 108 / 1 0.92 = 4.13 x 108 sec


(c) vr = 0.99c

t = 1.8 x 108 / 1 0.992 = 1.28 x 107 sec


2

= 2.29
= 7.09

5. A rod of length L0 is placed inside a moving train such that it makes angle 0 with the
horizontal. The train is moving with velocity 0.9c with respect to an observer on the
railway platform. What would be the measured length and angle for the observer
on the platform?
Solution:

L0

L0 sin

0
L0 cos
Figure 19.1:
Note: In the figure, replace by 0 .
In the train reference frame
Ly0 = L0 sin 0
Lx0 = L0 cos 0
p
Speed of the train = 0.9c, hence = 1/ 1 (0.9)2
In the laboratory reference frame,
Ly = L0 sin 0 .
We observe length contraction along the x axis that yields

Lx0 = Lx Lx = Lx0 1 0.92 = L0 cos 0 1 0.92


q
Therefore, the total length of the rod = L20 sin2 0 + L20 cos2 (1 0.92 )
p
= Lo 1 0.92 cos2 0
Ly
L0 sin 0

tan =
=
= tan 0
Lx
L0 cos 0 1 0.92
3

6. Derive the transformation rule for the acceleration of a particle in the laboratory and
rocket frame of reference. Argue that acceleration is not a component of Lorentz
vectors.
Solution:
Velocity transformation
x =

x0 + r
1 + x0 r

where r =
x0 =

Vx0
c

vr
is the non dimensional relative speed between the two frames, and
c

 0

dx
(x + r )
=d
/(dt 0 + dx 0 )
dt
1 + x0 r


(1 + x0 r )dx0 (r d x0 )(x0 + r )
/(dt 0 + dx 0 )
ax =
(1 + x0 r )2
ax =

(1 + r x0 )ax0 r ax0 (x0 + r )


(1 + r x0 )3

ax =

ax0
3 (1 + r x0 )3

Similarly,
1
d y
=
ay =
dt

y0
d
(1 + r x0 )

/(dt 0 + r dx 0 )

d y0 (1 + r x0 ) r d x0 y0
1
1
2 (dt 0 + r dx 0 )
(1 + r x0 )2

1
1
(a 0 (1 + r x0 ) r y0 ax0 )
2 (1 + r x0 )3 y

ay0
x y0 ax0
1

2 (1 + r x0 )2 2 (1 + r x0 )3

The transformation for az is same as ay .


7. A relativistic rocket emits light with wavelength from its headlight in its rest frame.
What would be the measured wavelength of the light for a laboratory observer who
measures that the rocket is approaching her with speed 0.5c.
8. A bright star in a galaxy emits light with wavelength = 6000
A. The above galaxy
is receding from our galaxy with v = 0.5c. What would be the wavelength of the
emitted light as observed in the reference frame of the Earth.
4

9. An experimenter inside a train shines a laser torch directly upward. The speed of
the train is 0.5c. Compute the components of velocity of the laser in the laboratory
frame. What is the speed of light in the laboratory frame?
Solution:

=> 0.5c = Vr

Figure 19.2:
Vy0 = c
Vr = 0.5c
Vx0 = 0

y0 = 1
r = 0.5
x0 = 0

x0 + r
0.5
=
= 0.5
0
1 + r x
1 + 0.5.0

y0
1 1 0.52
y =
=
(1 + r x0 )
1

Vx = 0.5c
Vy = 1 0.52 c

x =

The net speed m the lab frame =

p
(0.5)2 + (1 0.52 )c = c

which is expected since the speed of light is same in all reference frames.
10. The above experimenter (Exercise 9) shoots an electron vertically upward with speed
0.9c. What would be the measured speed in the laboratory frame? What angle will
5

the electron make relative to the horizontal in the lab frame of reference?
Solution:
The velocity of the electron in the train frame
Therefore, x =
y =

vx0 = 0;

Vy0 = 0.9c

r = 0.5

0.5
x0 + r
=
= 0.5
0
1 + r x
1

y0
= 0.9 1 0.52
0
(1 + r x )

Hence 2 = 0.25 + 0.81(1 0.25)


or = 0.926
or v = 0.926c
If the angle electron makes in the lab frame is , then
y
0.9 0.75
tan =
= 1.35
=
x
0.50
Hence 530 .
11. All material particles move with speed less than the speed of light. Show that if the
speed of a particle is less than c in a reference frame, then this property would be
seen in all other inertial reference frames.
Solution:
Assume v 0 < c (rocket frame) or 0 < 1
1
2
2
then 2x + 2y =
( 0 x + 2r + 2r 0 x + 0 y (1 2r ))
(1 + 0 x r )2
2

2 =

( 0 + 2r + 2r 0 x 0 y 2r )
= f/g
(1 + 0 x r )2

2
0
02 2
02 2
0
f g = 0 + 2r + 2
r

r

x y r (1 + x r + 2
x)




2
2
2
2
= 0 + 2r 2r ( 0 y + 0 x ) 1 = 1 0
1 2r
2

Since 6 0 < 1 and 6 2r < 1, hence f g < 0


Therefore f < g. Hence 2 < 1.
Therefore the particles has velocity < c in the lab frame as well.
12. Consider the events A,B,C discussed in Section 19.5 (Fig. 19.3). The event A occurs
at the origin in both the laboratory and the moving reference frame. Suppose the
coordinates of the events of B and C are (xB , tB ) and (xC , tC ) respectively in the
6

0
laboratory frame. Show that for the moving observer tB0 > 0, but tC
could be either
positive or negative depending on the velocity of the moving reference frame.

Solution
For the event B,
tB0 = (tB r xB )

= tB

xB
1 r
tB

Since tB > xB in the time-like region, tB0 and tB have the same sign i,e; if tB > 0 then
tB0 > 0
For the event C,
0
tC
= (tc r xC )


= tc

xC
1 r
tC

0
Since xC > tC , tC
& tC have the same sign if r

However if r <

xC
< 1.
tC

tC
0
, then tC
and tC have different signs.
xC

Extra Problems
1. A train moving with speed V crosses a long platform of length L. In the trains frame,
the back end of the train coincides with the rear end of the platform at noon. The
engine of the train (front) coincides with the front end of the platform at time . See
figure for an illustration.
(a) What is the time interval between the two events in the platform frame?
(b) Compute the length of the train.
(c) Compute the corresponding quantities in Newtonian framework.
Solution:
A:

The two events are

The rear of the train coincides with the rear end of the platform

In the lab frame : (x1 = 0, t1 = 0)

In the moving frame (x10 = 0, t10 = 0)


B:

The engine of the train coincides with the front end of the platform

In the lab frame (x2 = L, t2 = ?)


In the moving frame (x20 = l, t20 = )
where l = rest length of the train.
Therefore, x = L

x 0 = l = ?

t 0 =

t = ?

x = (x 0 + Vt 0 ),
where V is the velocity of the train.
L = (l + V)

= p

1
1 (V/c)2

Therefore,
l=

L
V.

For the time difference,




V
t 0 = t x 2
c


V
= t 2 L
c
t =

V
+ L
c2

In Lab frame, the right clock would read t.


C:

In Newtonian framework

t = t 0 =
x = ?
8

Figure 19.3:
From these figures, l + v = L
Therefore, l = L v
When v  c, = 1, hence we recover this limit from the relativistic expressions, as
expected.
2. A carriage of rest length L is moving with velocity V. A light pulse leaves from the rear
end of the carriage, and reaches the front end. Compute the time and space intervals
between the two events in both the carriage and outside (say platform) reference
frames.

L/r

t' = L
z
vt

L/r

B
Figure 19.4:
Solution:

By heuristic arguments

The apparent length measured by the Lab frame =


L
+ vt

s
L l + v/c
L/
=
t =
cv
c l v/c
r
L
L
L l + r
xB = + vt = + v

c l r
r
p
1 + r
= L 1 2r + r L
1 r
Therefore ct =




r
= L 1 + r
1 r +
1 r
r
1 + r
=L
1 r
Using Lorentz transformation



L
v
xB = (xB0 + vr tB0 ) = L + v
= L 1 +
c
c
s
1 + v/c
=L
1 v/c




L
Vr
v
tB = tB0 + 2 xB0 =
+ 2L
c
c c
s
L
L 1 + v/c
=
(1 + v/c) =
c
c 1 v/c
Geometrically

t'

A' L

sin h

x'

L
O

L cos h

Figure 19.5:
correct the figure
Events: O : The light pulse leaves the left end
E : The light pulse reaches the right end
OA 0 = L
In the lab frame, the length of the rod is
10

= OA + AB = L cos h + L sinh
= L
r+ L = L(1 + )
1+
=L
1
3. Imagine a stationary carriage of height h. A particle is shot upward with velocity v,
and it hits the roof. Describe these the event in the carriage frame, as well as in a
reference frame that is moving leftward with velocity vr . Solve the problem also for a
light pulse shot upward instead of the aforementioned particle.
Solution:

Lab

Moving Frame
v't'

L
v

v'yt'

0
In the moving frame
Figure 19.6:
In this problem, we use time in units of length, and velocity in dimensionless units
( = v/c; r = vr /c).
Using heuristic arguments
L
, where the two events correspond to (a) the

particle living the bottom of the carriage, and (b) the particle hitting the roof top.

In the stationary carriage frame, t =

For the reference frame that is moving to the left,




x
L
0
t = r t r
= r
c

p
2
where r = 1 r
Therefore, y0 =

=
t 0
r
11

L
and x 0 = r t 0 = r r

hence x0 =

Speed =
=

x 0
= r
t 0

s
0 2x + 0 2y =

2r +

2
2r

p
2 + 2r (1 2 ).

Using Lorentz transformation


stationary carriage frame : y = L, t = L/ x = 0
Moving frame : y 0 = L, t 0 = ?, x 0 = ?

x
L
Therefore, t 0 = r t
= r
c

L
x 0 = r (x r t 0 ) = r r
,

that are same as the above, and they would provide the same results for the velocity.
Using the elocity transformation rules
Laboratory frame : x = 0; and y =
Moving frame:
x r
= r
1 x r

y
=
,
y0 =
r (1 x r )
r
x0 =

same as those obtained using other methods.


When the particle is replaced by a light pulse,
x0 = r and y0 =

1
r

and = 1, as expected.

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