Lecture 7

Relativistic Dynamics
In Newtonian dynamics, the mass of an object is assumed
to be constant, independent of how fast the object moves.
Consequently, Newtons second law F = ma
implies that an object can acquire a constant
acceleration when acted upon by a constant force
and it should thus have no problem of achieving
a velocity greater than the speed of light,
a violation of one of the Einsteins relativistic
principles.

Lecture 7
Experimental Results
Lecture 7
Dependence of Mass on Velocity
Two identical particles move at the same velocity, as measured
in a laboratory frame S, but along opposite directions. The two
particles collide head-on inelastically.
u u
x
S
Before the collision:
x
S
S
x
u
S
x
After the collision:
M
0

m(u) m(u)
Lecture 7
Two Views of an Inelastic Collision
In S, we have u v u u
x
= ! = ,
, so, in S, the velocity of the
other particle before collision is
U
c
u
u
c
u
u u
c
v u
v u
u
x
x
x
! "
+
! =
+
! !
=
!
!
=
#
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
1
1
and the velocity of the large particle after collision is u !
Momentum conservation: ) )( ( ) )( ( u u M U U m ! = !
Mass conservation: ) ( ) (
0
u M m U m = +
u U
u
m
U m
!
=
0
) (
Eliminating M(u) from the equations, we have
On the other hand, we have
U(1+ u
2
c
2
) = 2u !u
2
c
2
+1= 2u U
u
2
" 2 c
2
U
( )
u + c
2
= 0
#u =
c
2
U
1 1"
U
2
c
2
$
%
&
&
'
(
)
)
Lecture 7
Two Views of an Inelastic Collision-Contd
Lecture 7
Two Views of an Inelastic Collision-Contd
Since we must have u U/2 for U << c, we should take the minus
sign, i.e.,
!
"
#
$
%
&
' ' =
2
2 2
1 1
c
U
U
c
u
Now, we have
[ ]
2 1 2 2
2 1 2 2 2 1 2 2
2
2 1 2 2 2 2
2
) 1 (
) 1 ]( ) 1 ( 1 [
) 1 ( 1
c U u u U
c U c U
U
c
c U c U
U
c
u U
! = ! "
! ! ! =
! + ! = !
Lecture 7
Relativistic Mass Formula
( )
) (
1
1 ) (
2 1
2 2
0
U
c U
m
U m
! "
#
=
In non-relativistic regime (U << c), we have
( )
!
!
+ + = !
+ + " # =
#
2
0
2
0
2
2 2
0
2 1
2 2
0
2
1
) (
) 2 1 ( 1 ) (
U m c m c U m
c U m c U m U m
Energy:
2
0
2
) ( ) ( c m U c U m E ! = "
Momentum:
U m U p
!
!
0
) ( ! "
Lecture 7
Constant Force Revisited
A constant force, F, acts on an object of rest mass m
0
. Illustrate
that the velocity of the object can never exceed the speed of light.
2 2
0
2 2
0
2 2
2
0
2
0
2 2
0
0 0
0 0
0 0
1
,
1
), (
) ( ), (
c m
t F
m
Ft
u u u
c m
Ft
m
Ft
c u
u m
u m Ft u m d Fdt
u m d Fdt u m
dt
d
dt
dp
F
u u
u t
u u
+
= = !
"
#
$
%
&
' !
"
#
$
%
&
'
= =
(
=
(
= = =
) )
) )
c u t ! " ! ,
Lecture 7
Work and Energy
Work done by a force F on an object in distance dx is given
by dW = F dx.
In Newtonian mechanics, we have
T v m vdv m W
vdv m vdt
dt
dv
m Fdx dW
v
! =
"
=
=
#
$
%
&
'
(
= =
2
0
0
0
0 0
2
1
) (
In relativistic mechanics, we have
) ( ) (
) (
0
0
v vd m vdt
dt
v m d
Fdx dW
v
v
!
!
=
"
#
$
%
&
'
= =
Lecture 7
Work and Energy-Contd
v
v
v
c
v
c m
c v
v m
dv
c v
v
m
c v
v m
c v
v
d v m W
0
2 1
2
2
2
0
2 2
2
0
0
2 2
0
2 2
2
0
2 2
0
0
1
1
1 1
1
!
!
"
#
$
$
%
&
'
'
(
)
*
*
+
,
- +
-
=
.
-
-
-
=
'
'
(
)
*
*
+
,
-
/
.
=
Lecture 7
Work and Energy-Contd
2
0
2
2
2
2
2 2
2
0
2
0
2 1
2
2
2
0
2 2
2
0
1
1
1
1
c m
c
v
c
v
c v
c m
c m
c
v
c m
c v
v m
W
!
"
#
$
%
&
'
! +
!
=
!
(
(
)
*
+
+
,
-
! +
!
=
) 1 (
2
0
! =
v
c m W "
Kinetic energy:
W c m c m c m E T
v
= ! = ! "
2
0
2
0
2
0
#
Lecture 7