Concepts In Relativistic Dynamics

Concepts In Relativistic Dynamics
Author: Lawrence Horwitz
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2023-05-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 981120733X

The mechanics of Newton and Galileo is based on the postulate of a universal time which plays the role of an evolution parameter as well as establishing dynamical correlations between interacting systems. The Michelson-Morley experiment, explained by Einstein in terms of Lorentz transformations, appeared to imply that the time is not absolute, but rather suffers from changes when a system is in motion. Einstein's thought experiment involving a moving system and a laboratory frame of observation, however, indicates that the action of the Lorentz transformation corresponds to an observed effect recorded in the laboratory on a clock that must be running in precise synchronization with that of the observed system. Therefore one concludes that there must be a universal time, as postulated by Newton, and the time that suffers Lorentz transformation becomes an observable dynamical variable. This book describes the effect this observation had on the development of the theory of Stueckelberg, Horwitz and Piron, and the corresponding conceptual basis for many phenomena which can be described in a relativistically covariant framework.

Classical Relativistic Many-Body Dynamics

Classical Relativistic Many-Body Dynamics
Author: M.A. Trump
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 392
Release: 1999-07-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780792357377

in this work, we must therefore assume several abstract concepts that hardly need defending at this point in the history of mechanics. Most notably, these include the concept of the point particle and the concept of the inertial observer. The study of the relativistic particle system is undertaken here by means of a particular classical theory, which also exists on the quantum level, and which is especially suited to the many-body system in flat spacetime. In its fundamental postulates, the theory may be consid ered to be primarily the work of E.C.G. Stiickelberg in the 1940's, and of L.P. Horwitz and C. Piron in the 1970's, who may be said to have provided the generalization of Stiickelberg's theory to the many-body system. The references for these works may be found in Chapter 1. The theory itself may be legitimately called off-shell Hamiltonian dynamics, parameterized relativistic mechanics, or even classical event dynamics. The most important feature of the theory is probably the use of an invariant world time parameter, usually denoted T, which provides an evolution time for the system in such as way as to allow manifest co variance within a Hamiltonian formalism. In general, this parameter is neither a Lorentz-frame time, nor the proper time of the particles in the system.

Relativistic Point Dynamics

Relativistic Point Dynamics
Author: Henri Arzeliès
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 421
Release: 2016-10-19
Genre: Science
ISBN: 148315226X

Relativistic Point Dynamics focuses on the principles of relativistic dynamics. The book first discusses fundamental equations. The impulse postulate and its consequences and the kinetic energy theorem are then explained. The text also touches on the transformation of main quantities and relativistic decomposition of force, and then discusses fields of force derivable from scalar potentials; fields of force derivable from a scalar potential and a vector potential; and equations of motion. Other concerns include equations for fields; transfer of the equations obtained by variational methods into the Minkowski continuum; and analysis of the concepts for force and mass. The text also describes the interaction between two electric charges. The selection also discusses the reconsideration of the equivalence of mass and energy; fundamental postulates and general theorem; and relativistic rockets. The text also focuses on elastic collisions between two corpuscles, inelastic collisions, and the Compton effect. The book is a vital source of data for readers wanting to explore relativistic dynamics.

General Relativistic Dynamics

General Relativistic Dynamics
Author: Fred I. Cooperstock
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2009
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9814271179

This book brings Einstein's general relativity into action in new ways at scales ranging from the tiny Planck scale to the scale of immense galactic clusters. It presents the case that Einstein's theory of gravity can describe the observed dynamics of galaxies without invoking the unknown OC dark matterOCO required in models based on Newtonian gravity. Drawing on the author's experience as a lecturer and on his own research, the book covers the essentials of Einstein's special and general relativity at a level accessible to undergraduate students. The early chapters provide a compact introduction to relativity for readers who have little or no background in the subject. Hermann Bondi's very transparent approach to special relativity is expanded to resolve the OC twin paradoxOCO using only elementary mathematics. In later chapters, general relativity is used to extend the concept of the Planck scale, to address the role of the cosmological term and to analyze the concept of OC time machinesOCO.

Essential Dynamics and Relativity

Essential Dynamics and Relativity
Author: Peter J. O’Donnell
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2014-11-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 146658839X

Essential Dynamics & Relativity provides students with an introduction to the core aspects of dynamics and special relativity. The author reiterates important ideas and terms throughout and covers concepts that are often missing from other textbooks at this level. He also places each topic within the wider constructs of the theory, without jumping from topic to topic to illustrate a point. The first section of the book focuses on dynamics, discussing the basic aspects of single particle motion and analyzing the motion of multi-particle systems. The book also explains the dynamical behavior of both composite bodies (rigid bodies) and objects in non-inertial frames of reference (rotating reference frames). The second section concentrates on relativity. The author describes the ideas leading to the inception of special relativity. He also formulates fundamental aspects, such as time dilation, length contraction, Lorentz transformations, and the visual aids of Minkowski diagrams, necessary to develop more sophisticated ideas. He then develops the concepts within the context of relativistic mechanics. With many examples throughout and exercises at the end of each chapter, this text makes the often daunting and confusing ideas of dynamics and special relativity accessible to undergraduate students studying the subjects for the first time.

Competitive Physics: Thermodynamics, Electromagnetism And Relativity

Competitive Physics: Thermodynamics, Electromagnetism And Relativity
Author: Wang Jinhui
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 960
Release: 2018-12-11
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9813238550

Written by a former Olympiad student, Wang Jinhui, and a Physics Olympiad national trainer, Bernard Ricardo, Competitive Physics delves into the art of solving challenging physics puzzles. This book not only expounds a multitude of physics topics from the basics but also illustrates how these theories can be applied to problems, often in an elegant fashion. With worked examples that depict various problem-solving sleights of hand and interesting exercises to enhance the mastery of such techniques, readers will hopefully be able to develop their own insights and be better prepared for physics competitions. Ultimately, problem-solving is a craft that requires much intuition. Yet this intuition, perhaps, can only be honed by trudging through an arduous but fulfilling journey of enigmas.This is the second part of a two-volume series and will mainly analyze thermodynamics, electromagnetism and special relativity. A brief overview of geometrical optics is also included.

Conceptual Evolution of Newtonian and Relativistic Mechanics

Conceptual Evolution of Newtonian and Relativistic Mechanics
Author: Amitabha Ghosh
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 134
Release: 2017-10-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9811062536

This book provides an introduction to Newtonian and relativistic mechanics. Unlike other books on the topic, which generally take a 'top-down' approach, it follows a novel system to show how the concepts of the 'science of motion' evolved through a veritable jungle of intermediate ideas and concepts. Starting with Aristotelian philosophy, the text gradually unravels how the human mind slowly progressed towards the fundamental ideas of inertia physics. The concepts that now appear so obvious to even a high school student took great intellectuals more than a millennium to clarify. The book explores the evolution of these concepts through the history of science. After a comprehensive overview of the discovery of dynamics, it explores fundamental issues of the properties of space and time and their relation with the laws of motion. It also explores the concepts of spatio-temporal locality and fields, and offers a philosophical discussion of relative motion versus absolute motion, as well as the concept of an absolute space. Furthermore, it presents Galilean transformation and the principle of relativity, inadequacy of Galilean relativity and emergence of the spatial theory of relativity with an emphasis on physical understanding, as well as the debate over relative motion versus absolute motion and Mach's principle followed by the principle of equivalence. The natural follow-on to this section is the physical foundations of general theory of relativity. Lastly, the book ends with some new issues and possibilities regarding further modifications of the laws of motion leading to the solution of a number of fundamental issues closely connected with the characteristics of the cosmos. It is a valuable resource for undergraduate students of physics, engineering, mathematics, and related disciplines. It is also suitable for interdisciplinary coursework and introductory reading outside the classroom.

Relativistic Many-Body Theory and Statistical Mechanics

Relativistic Many-Body Theory and Statistical Mechanics
Author: Lawrence P. Horwitz
Publisher: Morgan & Claypool Publishers
Total Pages: 145
Release: 2018-05-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1681749475

In 1941, E.C.G. Stueckelberg wrote a paper, based on ideas of V. Fock, that established the foundations of a theory that could covariantly describe the classical and quantum relativistic mechanics of a single particle. Horwitz and Piron extended the applicability of this theory in 1973 (to be called the SHP theory) to the many-body problem. It is the purpose of this book to explain this development and provide examples of its applications. We first review the basic ideas of the SHP theory, both classical and quantum, and develop the appropriate form of electromagnetism on this dynamics. After studying the two body problem classically and quantum mechanically, we formulate the N-body problem. We then develop the general quantum scattering theory for the N-body problem and prove a quantum mechanical relativistically covariant form of the Gell-Mann-Low theorem. The quantum theory of relativistic spin is then developed, including spin-statistics, providing the necessary apparatus for Clebsch-Gordan additivity, and we then discuss the phenomenon of entanglement at unequal times. In the second part, we develop relativistic statistical mechanics, including a mechanism for stability of the off-shell mass, and a high temperature phase transition to the mass shell. Finally, some applications are given, such as the explanation of the Lindneret alexperiment, the proposed experiment of Palacios et al which should demonstrate relativistic entanglement (at unequal times), the space-time lattice, low energy nuclear reactions and applications to black hole physics.

Non-relativistic Quantum Theory: Dynamics, Symmetry And Geometry

Non-relativistic Quantum Theory: Dynamics, Symmetry And Geometry
Author: Kai S Lam
Publisher: World Scientific Publishing Company
Total Pages: 458
Release: 2009-08-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9813107480

This textbook is mainly for physics students at the advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate levels, especially those with a theoretical inclination. Its chief purpose is to give a systematic introduction to the main ingredients of the fundamentals of quantum theory, with special emphasis on those aspects of group theory (spacetime and permutational symmetries and group representations) and differential geometry (geometrical phases, topological quantum numbers, and Chern-Simons Theory) that are relevant in modern developments of the subject. It will provide students with an overview of key elements of the theory, as well as a solid preparation in calculational techniques.