EN 615.

748 - Introduction to Relativity

Johns Hopkins University
Nam Nicholas Mai

Problem 1:
Solution:

18 February 2015
Homework Assignment 1

Exercise 1.18 - Velocity Composition for Hyperbolic Representation

(a) Introduce the velocity parameter u defined as

v tanh u,

(1.1)

moving at some velocity

where u P R and v P p1, 1q. Suppose, then, that we have a particle in O
1

w tanh U ; in another frame O, its velocity will be w . Then, if O moves with velocity v with respect to
O, then we can apply Equation 1.13 to have
w1

U `u
tanh U ` tanh u

1 ` Uu
1 ` tanh U tanh u
sinh U
sinh u
U ` cosh u
cosh sinh
sinh u
1 ` cosh UU cosh
u
sinh U cosh u ` sinh u cosh U

cosh U cosh u ` sinh U sinh u

(1.2)
(1.3)
(1.4)

To simplify the last equality, we need to use the following two identities:

Identity 1.1 Hyperbolic Sinh of a Sum:

sinh U cosh u ` sinh u cosh U sinh pU ` uq

(1.5)

Proof. Use the exponetial definition of sinh to expand the left side Equation 1.5 above:
eU eU eu ` eu eu eu eU ` eU
`
(1.6)
2
2
2
2
eU `u ` eU u eU `u eU u eu`U ` euU eu`U euU

`
4
4
(1.7)

sinh U cosh u ` sinh u cosh U

2eU `u 2epU `uq

4
U
`u
e
epU `uq

2
sinh pU ` uq

(1.8)
(1.9)
(1.10)

Identity 1.2 Hyperbolic Cosh of a Sum:

cosh U cosh u ` sinh U sinh u cosh pU ` uq

(1.11)

EN 615.748 - Homework Assignment 1

Proof. Use the exponetial definition of sinh to expand the left side Equation 1.11 above:
eU ` eU eu ` eu eU eU eu eu
`
(1.12)
2
2
2
2
eU `u ` eU u ` eU `u ` eU u eU `u eU u eU `u ` eU u

`
4
4
(1.13)

cosh U cosh u ` sinh U sinh u

2eU `u ` 2epU `uq

4
U
`u
e
` epU `uq

2
cosh pU ` uq

(1.14)
(1.15)
(1.16)

Applying Identities 1.5 and 1.11 to Equation 1.4,

w1

sinh U cosh u ` sinh u cosh U

sinh pU ` uq

tanh pU ` uq .
cosh U cosh u ` sinh U sinh u
cosh pU ` uq

(1.17)

Clearly, the parameters U and u add linearly, validating their use.

(b) A star S1 measures a second star S2 moving away from it at velocity v2,S1 0.9c v, implying
u2,S1 tanh1 v. The second star S2 measures a third star S3 moving alway from it at v3,S2 v,
again implying u3,S2 tanh1 v. This continues for some N number of stars, where vN,SN 1 v and
uN,SN 1 tanh1 v.
Let us examine the first three stars relative to each other. Using the relations above and the results
from part (a), we have
`

v3,S1 tanh pu2,S1 ` u3,S2 q tanh tanh1 v ` tanh1 v tanh 2 tanh1 v

(1.18)
u3,S1 2 tanh1 v

(1.19)

By the same argument, we can write v4,S1 as

`

v4,S1 tanh pu3,S1 ` u4,S3 q tanh 2 tanh1 v ` tanh1 v tanh 3 tanh1 v

u4,S1 3 tanh1 v

Now, we can use induction to prove the generalized statement,

vN,S1 tanh pN 1q tanh1 v

uN,S1 pN 1q tanh

(1.20)
(1.21)

(1.22)
(1.23)

Equations 1.23 and 1.22 are true for 1 N 4 (see above). Then, assume that for some k 4, both
equations are true. Then,

vk`1,S1 tanh pk ` 1 1q tanh1 v

(1.24)

1
1
tanh pk 1q tanh v ` tanh v
(1.25)

tanh uk1,S1 ` uk,Sk1

(1.26)

EN 615.748 - Homework Assignment 1

The last equality is true by the velocity composition law proved in part (a). For large N , we have
1

1 e2pN 1q tanh v
vN,S1 tanh pN 1q tanh1 v
1
1 ` e2pN 1q tanh v

pN 1q
1
1 e2 tanh v

pN 1q
1
1 ` e2 tanh v

1 19pN 1q
1 ` 19pN 1q
1 19pN 1q 1 19pN 1q

1 ` 19pN 1q 1 19pN 1q
1 2 p19qpN 1q ` 192pN 1q

1 192pN 1q
1 2 p19qpN 1q

(1.27)

(1.28)

(1.29)
(1.30)
(1.31)
(1.32)

The last approximation is taken since the second order terms are taken to be really small compared to the
dominating constant and first order term.

Problem 2:
Solution:

and C

Exercise 2.1 - Einstein Summation Notation

From the problem statement, we have the following for A and B

5

0
,
A
B

0
2
4
0
1

6

1
0
2
3

5 2 2
0

5
2 2
4

1 1 3
0

(2.1)

(2.2)

We evaluate each of the sections of the problem:

(a) A B A0 B0 ` A1 B1 ` A2 B2 ` A3 B3 5 0 ` 0 2 ` 1 4 ` 6 0 4

(b) We have A C A0 C0 ` A1 C1 ` A2 C2 ` A3 C3 . This should yield a contravariant tensor D

with components:
D0 5 1 ` 0 5 ` 1 4 ` 6 1 7

D1 5 0 ` 0 2 ` 1 5 ` 6 1 1

D2 5 2 ` 0 2 ` 1 2 ` 6 3 26
D3 5 3 ` 0 0 ` 1 2 ` 6 0 17

(2.3)
(2.4)
(2.5)
(2.6)

EN 615.748 - Homework Assignment 1

(c) Since is a dummy index and

4
is free, this will be the same as (b).

(d) We have A C A0 C0 ` A1 C1 ` A2 C2 ` A3 C3 . This should also yield a contravariant tensor

E , but it will be dierent from D from part (b)
E0 5 1 ` 0 0 ` 1 2 ` 6 3 15

(2.7)

E2 5 4 ` 0 5 ` 1 2 ` 6 2 30

(2.9)

E1 5 5 ` 0 2 ` 1 2 ` 6 0 27

(2.8)

E3 5 1 ` 0 1 ` 1 3 ` 6 0 2

(2.10)

(e) A B is simply the outer product of the two vectors, which produces a rank 2 tensor, which we will
write as a matrix F

A0 B 0
1
A B0

A2 B
0

3
A B0

A0 B 1
A1 B 1
A2 B 1
A3 B 1

A0 B 2
A1 B 2
A2 B 2
A3 B 2

A0 B3
0 10
20

1

A B3 0
0
0

2
A B3 0
2 4
3
A B3
0
12 24

(2.11)

(f ) Ai Bi A1 B1 ` A2 B2 ` A3 B3 0 2 ` 1 4 ` 6 0 4
(g) This is simply the inner components from (e) with index values 1, 2, and 3.

F jk

Problem 3:

A1 B1 A1 B2 A1 B3
0
0 0

A2 B1 A2 B2 A2 B3 2 4 0
A3 B1 A3 B2 A3 B3
12 24 0

(2.12)

Exercise 2.2 - Indices in Einstein Summation Notation

Solution:
(a) No free index. is the dummy index. 1 equation.
(b)
is the free index. is the dummy index. 4 equations.
(c) ,

are free indices. ,

are dummy indices. 16 equations.

(d) , are free indices. No dummy indices. 16 equations. This turns out to be the definition of the
Einstein tensor G . It can be thought of as the generalization of the gravitational field, whose source
is given by the famous stress-energy tensor, T , in the field equations.

Problem 4:

Exercise 2.14 - Lorentz Transformation Matrix

EN 615.748 - Homework Assignment 1

Solution:

denoted
(a) From the problem statement, let the Lorentz transformation matrix from O into O

1.25

0.75

0
1
0
0

0 0.75

0
0

1
0

0 1.25

(4.1)

is moving in the z direction from O. The center of the matrix is the identity
The form here shows that O
matrix indicating that there is no relativistic change in x or y. Mathematically, one sees this as



t
1.25 0 0 0.75
t
0 0 v
t



x



1 0
0
1 0
0
0
x 0
x ,
(4.2)
y 0

0 1
0 y 0
0 1
0

y
z
0.75 0 0 1.25
z
v
0 0
z
so x
x and y y. From Equation 4.2, we can clearly see that
v vz

0.75

0.75
0.6 rcs.
1.25

(4.3)

(b) We can explicitly invert the Lorentz matrix above, but we can be even more clever with some
and O are relative to each other, we know that cannot change
simple physical arguments. Since O
between them. And since if v is O into 0, v has to be from the inverse. Therefore,

1.25 0 0 0.75

1
0
1 0
0

pvq
(4.4)

0
0
1
0

0.75 0 0 1.25
~
(c) To find the components of A
p1, 2, 0, 0q in O, we simply multiply A by the inverse Lorentz

matrix from (b).

1.25

0
A pvq A
0

0.75

Problem 5:

0
1
0
0

0 0.75
1
1.25

2 2
0
0

1
0
0 0
0 1.25
0
0.75

(4.5)

Exercise 2.32 - Derivation of Compton Scattering Equation from Four Momentum

Solution: We will apply conservation of the 4-momentum to derive the new frequency f of the scattered
photon. Let P~ denote the momentum of the particle (electron) and p~ denote the momentum of the photon.
Then, we have know the following

iq ,
f q
P~i m, ~0 ,
p~i hi p1, n
p~f hf p1, n
(5.1)

EN 615.748 - Homework Assignment 1

From the definition of 4-momentum, we also have

P~i P~i P~f P~f m2 ,

p~i p~i p~f p~f 0

(5.2)

Applying conservation of 4-momenta,

P~i ` p~i P~f ` p~f

P~f P~i ` p~i p~f

Taking the inner product of P~f with itself yields

P~f P~f m2 P~i ` p~i p~f P~i ` p~i p~f

P~i P~i ` 2P~i p~

pi p~f q ` p~i p~i 2~
pi p~f ` p~f p~f
2
~
m ` 2Pi p~
pi p~f q ` 0 2~
pi p~f ` 0

(5.3)

(5.4)
(5.5)
(5.6)

Therefore, we arrive at

pi p~f
2P~i p~
pi p~f q 2~

f qs 2 rhi p1, n
i qs rhf p1, n
f qs
i q hf p1, n
2 m, ~0 rhi p1, n
i n
f q
mh pi f q h2 i f p1 n

m pi f q hi f p1 cos q

1 cos
i f ` hi f
m

Dividing both sides of the equation by i f we have the result

1
1
1 cos

`h
f
i
m

(5.7)
(5.8)
(5.9)
(5.10)
(5.11)

(5.12)

Problem 6: Exercise A.1 - A 20-m pole is carried into a barn of length 10-m by a runner whose speed
is such that the pole appears to be 10-m long in the barn frame. When the front end of the pole reaches
the closed end of the barn it appears that the pole fits just inside the barn for that instant and front barn
door can be closed. The rear barn door immediately then opens and runner goes through. From runners
point of view the pole is 20 m long and barn is only 5-m and the pole can never be enclosed in the barn.
Explain the paradox by space time diagrams.
Solution: From the problem statement, the barn measures the pole to be 10 m when we know that the
pole is actually 20 m in its rest frame. Therefore, we can deduce the speed at which the runner is running:
c
?
v2
3
10 rms 20 rms 1 2

v
c
(6.1)
c
2
This matches the corresponding calculation of the length of the barn measured by the runner in his rest
frame,
c
?
v2
3
5 rms 10 rms 1 2

v
c.
(6.2)
c
2

EN 615.748 - Homework Assignment 1

We can think of the barn as being observed to moving towards the runner although this is not necessary.
The gist of the paradox in this problem is simply the standard length contraction. That is, a moving
object will appear contracted to a fixed observer. In both cases above, the barn and runner are measuring
lengths of objects moving with respect to themselves. The barn will see its own length and a contracted
pole; likewise the runner will see the pole length and a contracted barn length. See the attached space-time
diagrams to better understand the measurement intervals.
Note that the pole will still pass through the barn, despite the lengths being contracted. The front
end of the pole will never poke past the rear door.

Problem 7: Exercise A.2 - A satellite orbits the earth in the same direction in a circular orbit 200 km
from the surface above the equator. Calculate the number of seconds each day a clock on the satellite will
be slower compared to a clock at the equator. Note: we are only calculating the special relativistic eect
and not the gravitational eect.
Solution: We will make some basic assumptions in the problem statement to keep things consistent. First,
let us assume that the equatorial rotational velocity of the earth is given by

m
rad
6
5
vC,eq RC,eq !C,eq 6.378137 10 rms 7.292115 10
465.101
(7.1)
s
s
and the rotational velocity of the orbital satellite to be
g

f
d
c
f 6.67 1011 m32 5.9721986 1024 rkgs
m
e
GMC
GMC
kgs
vs

7781.77
Rs
RC ` RsC
6.378137 106 ` 200 103 rms
s

(7.2)

Note that the satellite is not geosynchronous but rather in low-earth orbit. Now assume that there is a
third clock at the center of the earth. This will be the reference clock. We know that the earth is rotating
so the clock on the equator will be dilated relative to the clock at the center of the earth; this is true also
for the satellites clock. We want the dierence between the equatorial and orbital clocks. However, we
will have to calculate the dilations independently. Let the time to be Tc 86400 rss be the interval of the
clock at the center of the earth. Then, the times measured by the two moving frames (equatorial orbit and
satelite) are expected to be slower relative to the clock at the center.
d

465.101 2
(7.3)
TC,eq Tc 1
86399.99999989616 rss
3 108
d

7781.77 2
(7.4)
Ts Tc 1
86399.99997093312 rss
3 108
Therefore, the dierence between the two clocks is given by
TC,eqs 86399.99999989616 86399.99997093312 28.963 rss

(7.5)