4.II.17C
Write down the formulae for the one-dimensional Lorentz transformation for frames moving with relative velocity along the -direction. Derive the relativistic formula for the addition of velocities and .
A train, of proper length , travels past a station at velocity . The origin of the inertial frame , with coordinates , in which the train is stationary, is located at the mid-point of the train. The origin of the inertial frame , with coordinates , in which the station is stationary, is located at the mid-point of the platform. Coordinates are chosen such that when the origins coincide then .
Observers A and B, stationary in , are located, respectively, at the front and rear of the train. Observer C, stationary in , is located at the origin of . At , C sends two signals, which both travel at speed , where , one directed towards and the other towards , who receive the signals at respective times and . observes these events to occur, respectively, at times and . At also observes that the two ends of the platform coincide with the positions of and .
(a) Draw two space-time diagrams, one for and the other for , showing the trajectories of the observers and the events that take place.
(b) What is the length of the platform in terms of ? Briefly illustrate your answer by reference to the space-time diagrams.
(c) Calculate the time differences and .
(d) Setting , use this example to discuss briefly the fact that two events observed to be simultaneous in one frame need not be observed to be simultaneous in another.