Physics 357 Problem Set 12 May 1, 2002

(12.2) Classical relativity: In a collision between two particles, some mass is

transferred from one particle to the other;

Mf = mc + md = Mi = ma + mb .

(a) Show that if momentum is conserved in inertial frame S, then it is

also conserved in frame Se moving relative to S with velocity v. In
frame S,

Pf = mc uc + md ud = Pi = ma ua + mb ub .

e
In frame S,

Pef = mc u
e c + md u
ed
= mc (uc − v) + md (ud − v)
= Pf − Mf v = Pi − Mi v
= ma (ua − v) + mb (ub − v) = Pei .

(b) Show that if the collision is elastic in S, i.e., if Ef − Ei = 0, then it

e
is elastic in S.

E ei = 1/2mc u
ef − E e2c + 1/2md u
e2d − 1/2ma u
e2a + 1/2mb u
e2b
= Ef − Pf · v + 1/2Mf v 2 − Ei + Pi · v − 1/2Mi v 2
= Ef − Ei = 0.

(12.4) A police car traveling at vp = 1/2c chases an outlaw car vo = 3/4c. The
police fire a bullet at speed 1/3c, relative to the police car. Will the bullet
reach the outlaw car?.

(a) Nonrelativistically, The bullet travels at speed

1 1 5 3
vb = c + c = c > c.
2 3 6 4
The bullet will reach the outlaw car.
(b) Relativistically, the bullet travels at speed

1/2c + 1/3c 5/6 5 3

vb = = c= c< c
1 + 1/2 × 1/3 7/6 7 4

The bullet will not reach the outlaw car relativistically.

1
(12.13) Sophie cries with pain at the precise instant that her brother, 500 km away,
hit his finger. Which incident occurs first viewed from a plane traveling
at 12/13 c in direction from brother to Sophie?
h v i
e
t = γ t − 2x .
c
Restate problem: ∆x = 500 km and ∆t = 0, what is ∆e
t?
v 12 12 × 5 × 105
∆e
t = −γ 2 ∆x = − ∆x = − = −4 ms
c 5c 5 × 3 × 108
Therefore, Sophie screams 4 ms before her brother hits his finger.
(12.15) Analysis of police chase problem:

Ground Police Outlaw Bullet Escape ?

Ground 0 1/2 c 3/4 c 5/7 c yes
Police -1/2 c 0 2/5 c 1/3 c yes
Outlaw -1/3 c -2/5 c 0 -1/13 c yes
Bullet -5/7 c -1/3 c 1/13 c 0 yes

(12.31) Velocity of the muon from pion decay: We know that

(m2π + m2µ )c2 (m2π − m2µ )c
Eµ = γmµ c2 = pµ = γmµ u =
2mπ 2mπ
Therefore,
c2 pµ (m2π − m2µ )c
u= = ≈ 0.27 c.
Eµ m2π + m2µ

(12.33) Two photon decay of a π0 . The energy of the pion is

r
p 9 5
E = c p2 + (mc)2 = c (mc)2 + (mc)2 = mc2
16 4
From energy and momentum conservation:
5 ¡ ¢
mc2 = h̄ ω1 + ω 2 = h̄c (k1 + k2 )
4
3
mc = h̄ (k1 − k2 )
4
Solve these 2 equations to find the photon momenta to find
1
p1 = h̄k1 = mc p2 = h̄k2 = mc.
4
The corresponding energies are
1
E1 = h̄ω1 = mc2 E2 = h̄ω2 = mc2 .
4

2
(12.46) (a) Prove Ia = E · B is Lorentz invariant.

eB
E· e = Ex Bx +γ 2 (Ey −vBz )(By +vEz /c2 )+γ 2 (Ez +vBy )(Bz −vEy /c2 )
= Ex Bx + γ 2 (Ey By − v 2 /c2 Ez Bz − vBz By + vEy Ez /c2 )
+ γ 2 (Ez Bz − v 2 /c2 Ey By + vBy Bz − vEz Ey /c2 ) = E · B

Note: the determinant of the field tensor

det (F µν ) = (E · B)2 /c2

Since the determinant is invariant under an orthogonal transforma-

tion, it follows that (E · B)2 is Lorentz invariant!
(b) Prove Ib = E 2 − c2 B 2 is Lorentz invariant,

e 2 − c2 B
E e 2 = E 2 + γ 2 (Ey − vBz )2 + γ 2 (Ez + vBy )2
x
− c2 Bx2 − c2 γ 2 (By + vEz /c2 )2 − c2 γ 2 (Bz − vEy /c2 )2
= Ex2 + Ey2 + Ez2 − c2 Bx2 − c2 By2 − c2 Bz2
+ 2γ 2 v[−Ey Bz + Ez By ] − 2γ 2 v[By Ez − Bz Ey ]
= E 2 − c2 B 2

(c) B = 0 at P in inertial system S. This implies Ia = 0 and Ib > 0 at P.

Can E = 0 at P in some inertial system? Answer: No! If E = 0 at P,
then Ib < 0 at P, contradicting the fact that Ib is Lorentz invariant!
(12.47) Transformation of a plane wave:

Ey (x, t) = E0 cos (kx − ωt)

1
Bz (x, t) = E0 cos (kx − ωt)
c

Transform to inertial system Se to find that the only nonvanishing compo-

nents are:
³ ´
Eey (x, t) = γ 1 − v E0 cos (kx − ωt)
c
³ v´ 1
e
Bz (x, t) = γ 1 − E0 cos (kx − ωt)
c c

One easily proves that kx − ωt = k̃x̃ − ω̃ t̃ (This is a Lorentz invariant

scalar product.) Therefore,

ey (x̃, t̃) = E
E e0 cos (k̃x̃ − ω̃ t̃)

ez (x̃, t̃) = 1 E
B e0 cos (k̃x̃ − ω̃ t̃),
c

3
where s
³ ´
e0 = γ 1 − v E0 =
E
1 − v/c
E0
c 1 + v/c

In system Se we again have a plane wave, but:

s
e 1 − v/c
E0 = E0
1 + v/c
s
ω 1 1 ³ v´ 1 − v/c
ν̃ = = γ(ω − vk) = γ 1− ω= ν
2π 2π 2π c 1 + v/c
c²0 e 2 1 − v/c
Ie = E0 = I
2 1 + v/c