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Lorentz transformation
A Lorentz transformation describes the transition from one spacetime to another which moves with a constant speed relative to the first one.
Explanation
The primed frame t', x', y', z' is seen from the unprimed frame t, x, y, z as moving with speed v along the x-axis.
(t, x, y, z) x-axis → v (t', x', y', z')
The most common form of the transformations is expressed as
where t, x, y, z and t', x', y', z' are the coordinates of an event in two frames, and c is the speed of light, and γ is the Lorentz factor.
HistoryThe Dutch physicist Hendrik Lorentz (1853 - 1928) is known for these transformations. |