Question

Problem A.4: Special Relativity - Part I (4 Points)

Special relativity has become a fundamental theory in the 20th century and is crucial for explaining many astrophysical phenomena. A central aspect of special relativity is the transformation from one reference frame to another. The following Lorentz transformation matrix gives

the transformation from a frame at rest to a moving frame with velocity v along the z-axis:





γ 0 0 γβ

0 1 0 0

0 0 1 0

γβ 0 0 γ





where β = v/c with c being the speed of light in a vacuum, and γ is the Lorentz factor:

γ =

1

p

1 − β

2

(a) State and explain the two traditional postulates from which special relativity originates.

(b) Draw a plot of the Lorentz factor for 0 ≤ β ≤ 0.9 to see how its value changes.

One of the many exciting phenomena of special relativity is time dilation. Imagine astronauts

in a spaceship that is passing by the Earth with a high velocity.

(c) Are clocks ticking slower for the people on Earth or for the astronauts on the sp​

Answer 1

Explanation:

man's best to be with him and his and friends and family