Lorentz transformations with arbitrary line of motion

Iyer, Chandru and Prabhu, G. M. (2007) Lorentz transformations with arbitrary line of motion. European Journal of Physics 28(2):183-190.

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Abstract

Sometimes it becomes a matter of natural choice for an observer (A) that he prefers a coordinate system of two-dimensional spatial x-y coordinates from which he sees another observer (B) who is moving at a uniform speed along a line of motion, which is not collinear with A’s chosen x or y axis. It becomes necessary in such cases to develop Lorentz transformations where the line of motion is not aligned with either the x or the y axis. In this paper we develop these transformations and show that under such transformations, two orthogonal systems (in their respective frames) appear non-orthogonal to each other. We also illustrate the usefulness of the transformation by applying it to the rod-slot problem.

Available Versions of This Paper

• Lorentz transformations with arbitrary line of motion (deposited 23 August 2006)
  • Lorentz transformations with arbitrary line of motion (deposited 23 February 2007) [Currently displayed]