WHY USE CLICKERS?

CANT I JUST SLEEP THROUGH CLASS?

MUST I PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS?
CANT I JUST FRANTICALLY WRITE NOTES
AND THEN GO HOME AND LOOK AT THEM?
ARE YOU SURE THIS INTERACTIVE STUFF
WORKS?

Surveyof6000students
Interactiveengagement
Traditionallectures

Gainonstandardizedphysicstests
2

GALILEAN RELATIVITY
INERTIAL REFERENCE FRAMES
POSITION, VELOCITY AND
ACCELERATION

Crash test dummy

seated in
stationary vehicle
(inertial frame)

Car accelerates:
suddenly lurching
forward
(non-inertial frame)
5

Seat accelerates
forward, compressing
back cushion
against driver
(non-inertial frame)

Contents of car
settles into
the moving
frame of the car
(inertial frame)

v'=-25 mph FrameS

40
mph

FrameS

If the observed horizontal speed of the BA volley on board is v'=-25mph

then stationary observers on the train platform, see it travel with a speed
(A) -25 mph
(C) -65 mph
(E) 65 mph
7
(B) -15 mph
(D) 25 mph
(F) 40 mph

v= 25 mph FrameS
40
mph

FrameS
If the horizontal speed of the return (AB) volley is v=25mph
then stationary observers on the train platform see the balls speed as
(A) -25 mph
(C) 15 mph
(E) 40 mph
8
(B) -15 mph
(D) 25 mph
(F) 65 mph

horizontal speed of the BA volley

-65 mph
horizontal speed of the AB volley
- 15 mph
The common sense rule you apply is

vframeS v' frameS' VframeS'_ relative_ toS

Though according to spectators on board the train volleys are simply

left-right-left-right-left-right-left
the ground-based observers actually see the ball always traveling
left, but:
Fast(-slow-fast-slow-fast-slow-fast
9
(-65 mph, -15 mph, -65 mps,-15 mph

v'= -40mph FrameS

40
mph

FrameS
If the horizontal speed is v'=+-40 mph (both directions)
then stationary observers on the train platform see the motion as
(A) fast (R) slow(L)
(C)fast (L) up
10
(B) fast (L) slow(R)
(D) fast(R) UP

What about position, x?

Alex on the station, Barbara on the train-both
t=0
t=t1
stationary
y'

Train
y B

A
x

x'

At t=0, position of Alex in station reference frame is xA

position of Barbara in train reference frame is xB'
At t=t1, position of A in station reference frame is xA
position of B in train reference frame is xB'
11

Alex on the station, Barbara on the train

t=0

y'

t=t1

Train
y B

x
x'
Lets get the nomenclature straight
xA, vA, aA are the position (displacement), velocity and
acceleration of Alex in the S (x,y) reference frame.
xB, vB, aB are the position (displacement), velocity and
acceleration of Barbara in the S (x,y) reference
frame.
12

QUESTIONS ON NOMENCLATURE

What is the symbol for the velocity of Alex in

the S reference frame?
[A] vA
[B]vB
[C]vB
[D]vA
What is the symbol for Barbaras position in the S
reference frame?
[A] xA
[B]xB
[C]xB
[D]xA

13

Alex on the station, Barbara on the train

t=0

y'

t=t1

Train
y B

x
x'
At t=0, position coordinate of A in station reference frame
is xA
position coordinate of B in station reference frame
is xB= xA
At t=t1, position coordinate of A in station reference frame
is xA

What is the position coordinate of B in the

station reference frame?
14

Alex on the station

Barbara WALKING on the train with velocity +vB
starting at t=0
At t=0, coordinates of A in station reference frame is xA
coordinates of B in station reference frame is
xB= xA
At t=t1, coordinates of A in station reference frame is xA
What are the coordinates of B in the station
reference frame ?

[A]xB= xA
[B]xB= xB
[C] xB= xB+VSSt1
[D]x =x (t=0)+v t

15

y'

y B

t=0

t=t1

t=t2

t=t3

Train
y'

Train
y'

Train
y'

Train

A
x

B
x'

B
x'

x'

x'

B (in the train) drops a ball. What is the

motion of the ball?
(A)It moves vertically downward
(B)It describes a parabolic path downward
(C)It moves horizontally
(D)IT DEPENDS ON THE FRAME OF
REFERENCE!!!!

16

TAKEAWAYSALIENTPOINTCRUXOFTHEMATTER
To observer A (on the platform) the ball has a horizontal
component of velocity vx, which is equal to the velocity
of the train.
To observer B (in the train), there is NO horizontal
component of velocity. Therefore, according to B, the
ball drops straight down!
BUT Newtons Laws of motion are true in BOTH cases!

17

Traveling on impulse power at 0.25c the Enterprise crew measure

their forward beacon to be racing out ahead of them at a speed of

(1)0.25c
(2)0.75c

(3) 1.00c
(4) 1.25c
18

Within Frame S a mass, m, is accelerated from rest by a force F through a distance d.

Frame

VSS

a
m
D

Frame

19

Pushes block of mass m

from rest
across a distance d
to a final velocity Vf
This accelerates the block

VSS
d

a' F' / m'

for a short time:
t V f ' / a'

20

Pushes block from rest

across a distance d
to a final velocity Vf

VSS
d

This accelerates the block

a' F' / m'

for a short time:
t V f ' / a'

During that time, unnoticed within the cabin, we (frame S)

see the train and table fixed inside it move: VS'St
Furthermore:

Initial vM = 0.
Final vM = vf
vM = vf

Initial vM = VSS
Final vM = ?vf VSS
vM = ?

21

VSS
d

Furthermore:

Initial vM = 0.

Initial vM = VSS

Final vM = vf

Final vM = ?vf VSS

vM = vf

vM = ?
vf VSS - ( VSS)
=
22

Frame

5
m/sec

V1=0

V2=3 m/sec

1 kg

1 kg

Frame
23

In Galilean or Newtonian Relativity,

which of the quantities below change
when you change your reference frame?
1) velocity
2) distance
3) mass
4) acceleration
5) all of the above
6) 1 and 2 only
24

In Galilean or Newtonian Relativity,

which of the quantities below change
when you change your reference frame?
1) time
2) mass
3) force
4) all of the above
5) none of these
25

(6) 1 and 2 only

5) none of these

Sure mass doesnt seem to be something affected by being in a

moving compartment. But if velocity is, why wouldnt acceleration be?
Recall the definition: a=v/t =(vfinal-vinitial)/t.
Since vAfinal= vBfinal+ Vrel and vAinitial= vBinitial+ Vrel then vA= vB !
We call such absolute quantities invariant.

26

How do you tell when you are completely stopped?

27

Galilean relativity
invariant

relative
acceleration
direction
distance
energy
force
mass
momentum
speed
time
Physical laws

28

Galilean relativity
invariant

relative

acceleration
fixed dimensions

direction
distance
energy

force
mass
momentum
speed
time
Physical laws

29