What is Relativistic: Definition and 1000 Discussions

Relativistic quantum chemistry combines relativistic mechanics with quantum chemistry to calculate elemental properties and structure, especially for the heavier elements of the periodic table. A prominent example is the explanation of the color of gold: due to relativistic effects, it is not silvery like most other metals.The term relativistic effects was developed in light of the history of quantum mechanics. Initially quantum mechanics was developed without considering the theory of relativity. Relativistic effects are those discrepancies between values calculated by models that consider relativity and those that do not. Relativistic effects are important for the heavier elements with high atomic numbers. In the most common layout of the periodic table, these elements are shown in the lower area. Examples are the lanthanides and actinides.Relativistic effects in chemistry can be considered to be perturbations, or small corrections, to the non-relativistic theory of chemistry, which is developed from the solutions of the Schrödinger equation. These corrections affect the electrons differently depending on the electron speed compared to the speed of light. Relativistic effects are more prominent in heavy elements because only in these elements do electrons attain sufficient speeds for the elements to have properties that differ from what non-relativistic chemistry predicts.

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  1. Z

    Is there such thing as relativistic angular velocity?

    If so, wouldn't gamma would be like? (1 - w^2 / c^2)^-1/2 or (1 - v^2 / r^2c^2)^-1/2
  2. M

    Relativistic Effects on the E-field

    I was trying to read up on the effects of the Lorentz transforms on electromagnetic fields in the stationary and moving frames and came across the following equation for the E-field: [1] E= \frac {Q}{4 \pi \epsilon_0 r^2}* \frac {1- \beta^2}{(1- \beta^2 sin^2 \theta) ^{3/2}} The first...
  3. P

    Relativistic dynamics problem

    Homework Statement A particle having a 3m rest mass is moving with velocity v towards another particle, which is at rest and having a rest mass of m. After the collision, two new particle are formed, each having a rest mass of 2.5m I'm required to find the minimum velocity for which such a...
  4. A

    Relativistic Hydrostatic Pressure in Constant Gravitational Field

    Hi everybody, When I have a perfect fluid within a constant gravitational field g, the pressure at depth z simply reads P=\rho g z, where \rho is the fluid density (incompresible). If now my g is still constant, but my fluid is relativistic. Not because it's moving (everything is still)...
  5. L

    Does relativistic mass induce gravity?

    I've read conflicting accounts on this subject. Some say it does, some say it doesn't, some say the entire idea of relativitic mass is a "rampant pedagogical virus". So please inform me when I'm making a mistake. So does the gravity of an object it exerts on it surroundings increase with it's...
  6. AJ Bentley

    Source for relativistic electrodynamics

    Just reading Prof. Mead's book 'Collective Electrodynamics' Does anyone know of a (readable) discussion of electrodynamic momentum vs. total momentum with a relativistic correction for velocity?
  7. F

    Relativistic Momentum: Calculating Velocity

    Homework Statement A photon of momentum P strikes a nucleus at rest and s absorbed. If The final (excited) nucleus is M calculate its velocity. Homework Equations p = mv/(gamma) The Attempt at a SolutionP = Mv/gamma P^2 - (Pv/c)^2 = (M^2)(v^2) P^2 = (Mv)^2 + (Pv/c)^2 V = P / sqrt(...
  8. B

    Double Slit Experiment & Relativistic Simultaneity

    In the double slit experiment, an observer appears to change the behavior of the particle/wave. Would it be possible to use relativistic simultaneity to explain the change in behavior of particles/waves? A potential passing by, and being observed by an observer, causes the potential to become...
  9. 0

    Stability of relativistic double star system

    We consider two stars which initially were at rest with each other, and were gravitationally influencing each other. We assume a kind of gravitation force which propagates at light speed. Now we give equal velocity (in relatively opposite direction) to both stars. Since gravity is propagated at...
  10. H

    What is the significance of a massive relativistic particle?

    Homework Statement My teacher has written in his lecture notes that For massive relativistic particles, E = 0.5mv2 = p2/2m. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I don't understand why the particle has to be massive for the equation to work. Please help!
  11. J

    Electrodynamics - relativistic generalization of a formula

    [PLAIN]http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1699/dsfadsfas.png The formula holds in the rest frame. Why is this particular extension 'the' extension? (Context is Electrodynamics/SR. It's just a piddly 16 lecture course that outlines Electrodynamics and SR and a bit of Quantum phenomena at the end...
  12. O

    Second route to a relativistic quantum theory

    Hey everyone, from Srednicki's QFT textbook I've read that there has been work on the following attempt to obtain a relativistic quantum theory: instead of treating space as a label like time, promote time to an operator, such that you get 4-position and -momentum operators. Now I know that...
  13. L

    Travel time for a space ship at relativistic speeds

    Hi I'm writing a science fiction novel, and I'm trying to figure out how to make an approximation on the travel time of a hypothetical spaceship traveling at relativistic speeds. Given the following: The spaceship is capable of accelerating at a constant 1G, until it reaches a top speed of...
  14. D

    Energy and Angular Momentum of a Relativistic String

    The problem is 2.1.b in Becker, Becker, and Schwarz. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong... any help would be appreciated, I'm probably missing something dumb. Homework Statement For X^0=B\tau, X^1=B\cos \tau\cos\sigma, X^2=B\sin\tau\cos\sigma, X^i=0 for i>2, compute the energy and...
  15. B

    Relativistic Electrodynamics

    Hey guys, I couldn't find a question like this elsewhere on the forum so hopefully I'm not repeating what someone has already asked. Can a purely electric field in one inertial frame of reference transform into a purely magnetic field in another? Explain -- My initial instinct was...
  16. J

    Calculating Minimum Energy for Relativistic Collision of Proton and Photon

    Homework Statement Consider the following reaction that is possible when a proton (p+) collides with a photon (γ): p+ + γ → ∆+. Suppose that the photon is a cosmic microwave-background (CMB) photon of energy 2.3 × 10−4eV. Calculate the minimum energy that the proton must have for this...
  17. E

    Trying to work out the speed of a relativistic electron

    Homework Statement I have a relativistic electron with energy 10^10 eV and I want to work out its speed. I'm not told if that's total energy or just kinetic energy - which is the sensible assumption to make? Homework Equations (E_tot)^2 = p^2*c^2 + m0^2*c^4 p = gamma*mv gamma =...
  18. R

    Derivation of Relativistic Momentum

    Hi. I was wondering if anyone has a simple derivation of relativistic momentum from lorentz transformation or the relativistic velocity addition formulas. I have attempted to understand this example: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Special_Relativity/Dynamics#Momentum but I have been having...
  19. Battlemage!

    Relativistic Momentum: Please help me to see that it is conserved.

    This is NOT homework (school is out), but it has the form of a problem because making up problems is how I "test" these ideas to convince myself they work. I tried the search function and couldn't find what I was looking for. EDIT- I am not trying to "show my own theory," etc. When I have been...
  20. G

    Mass increase at relativistic speeds

    Until now, I always that that a relativistic mass increase was literally just the increase in the mass of an object. Today I googled it, and a couple sources say that it is just an increase in energy, not mass. Can anyone confirm this? At first I thought if the mass increased, then it would...
  21. R

    Can a Slower Spacecraft Overtake a Faster One in Relativistic Travel?

    I've run into a scenario in a sci-fi rpg that I'm running and I haven't been able to come up with a satisfactory answer on my own. Assuming a ship traveling at .9999c, would it be possible for another ship traveling from the same origin to the same destination, but launched later, to arrive...
  22. G

    Relativistic acceleration with integration problem

    Homework Statement Consider a spaceship that accelerates so that the passengers feel and acceleration equal to that of gravity of the earth’s surface, g. If the spaceship undergoes this acceleration for a time T, show that the final velocity is given by: V=c[1+(c/gT)^2]^(-1/2) Homework...
  23. N

    Spaceship flying towards earth at relativistic speeds?

    Here is something I thought about the other day that could use some clarification... say a spaceship starts its voyage towards the Earth at 0.5c at a distance of 1 light year away from the earth. All measurements are made from an observer on earth. An observer on Earth only notices the ship...
  24. S

    Binomial expansion of relativistic formula

    Homework Statement The speed v of electrons from a high energy accelerator is very near the speed of light c. Given the voltage V of the accelerator, calculate the ratio v/c. The relativistic formulafor this calculation is (see relevant equations) Use the binomial series to find (1-v/c) in...
  25. C

    Relativistic Mechanics of Hydrogen Like S Orbials at high Z

    In the middle of studying for my matrix mechanics/atomic orbial/diatomic bonding final and something has been itching at my buttcrack for a while. Above Z=20 or so the lower orbitals (that don't actually exist so I've come to find out) have to be calculated with relativistic QM because the...
  26. S

    Relativistic energy and momentum in particle collisions

    Homework Statement Two particle P and Q each of restmass m0 and moving in collision course at 2/3c in the laboratory frame of reference. In the same collision but in particle P's frame of reference, P is at rest. Homework Equations As the total energy of the particles depends on the frame...
  27. LarryS

    Relativistic Uncertainty Principle

    In non-relativistic wave mechanics, the momentum-position uncertainty relationship and the energy-time relationship exist because these variables are related via the Fourier Transform of the wave function. Is there a relativistic (QFT) equivalent or analog of the above px and Et uncertainty...
  28. S

    Relativistic energy and momentum in particle collisions

    Homework Statement Two particle P and Q each of restmass m0 and moving in collision course at 2/3c in the laboratory frame of reference. In the same collision but in particle P's frame of reference, P is at rest. Homework Equations As the total energy of the particles depends on the frame...
  29. T

    Observed speed of light [actually about relativistic velocity addition]

    I apologize if this is a repost, my original post didn't seem to take. If you accelerate a particle to 99% the speed of light and accelerate another particle to 99% the speed of light directly into the path of the first would this not create the observed effect from either particle that the...
  30. B

    Relativistic CM frame Kinetic energy

    Now then, this is a past paper question for only 3 marks but its annoying me. 2 identical spheres undergoing an elastic relativistic collision. The spheres move with a speed such that their CM frame kinetic energy is equal to their rest energy. Calculate the speed the spheres in the CM...
  31. R

    What is relativistic mass and rest mass

    what is "relativistic mass" and "rest mass".. as far as i know the rest mass is the mass which measured by an observer who is at rest relative to the object (please correct me if this is not right), if this is right... what if when the object is traveling at the exactly same velocity of the...
  32. jaketodd

    Understanding Relativistic Energy Equations: Are They Linear?

    Are Einstein's energy equations for relativistic speeds linear? For example, if you had something going at relativistic speed and then slowed it, but still had it at relativistic speed, would the decrease in energy be directly proportional to the amount you slowed the thing down? Thanks, Jake
  33. Y

    Relativistic centripetal force

    Looking on the internet, it seems to very difficult to find a simple straightforward statement of the equations for relativistic centripetal force. This is my point of view and hopefully with some feedback we can come to a consensus. Consider a test mass moving in a circle with radius r. The...
  34. S

    Need Formula: 2D Relativistic (hopefully) Collisions with COR (e)

    I need a formula that yields the speed and angle after a 2D collision that uses the coefficient of restitution (e). Preferably this would also be relativistic. I have searched EVERYWHERE for this and could not find it. To "prove" that I have indeed tried I have read the collision sections of...
  35. S

    Relativistic Time for spaceship movement

    Homework Statement A certain star is 76.6 light-years away. How many years would it take a spacecraft traveling 0.946c to reach that star from Earth, as measured by observers on Earth? How many years would it take to reach that star from Earth, as measured by observers on the spacecraft ...
  36. M

    Using Gravity to obtain relativistic speeds

    Is it possible?? I am not familiar with the idea due to not having studied anything about it yet, but I am curious I mean it is theorized that you need unfathomably large amounts of energy (some sources say infinite amounts of energy) and gravity is, in a sense, an unlimited amount of...
  37. A

    Relativistic Force, Energy & Momentum: Does Force Also Apply?

    likewise energy & momentum of an object is considered in relativistic approach, does force also? since rate of change in momentum is known as FORCE, why not we study force in relativistic approach?
  38. M

    Special Relativity - Relativistic Dynamics

    I am trying to understand a section in a textbook I have regarding Special Relativity, specifically deriving an expression for what is known as "relativistic mass", in order to find an expression for "relativistic momentum". I have attached the pages in the book which are giving me trouble, more...
  39. I

    Relativistic Addition of Velocities

    Homework Statement Faraway Point starbase launches a probe toward the starships approaching from the same direction. The probe has a velocity relative to the Picard of -0.895c. The Picard approaches starbase Faraway Point with a speed of 0.795c, and the La Forge approaches the starbase with a...
  40. snoopies622

    Another relativistic dynamics question

    Could someone please either derive or point me towards a derivation of the Lorentz invariance of action? Thanks.
  41. nearc

    Questions about gravity at relativistic velocities

    The ‘speed’ of gravity, like everything else, is also limited to the speed of light. So if two bodies [with mass] are traveling in the same direction with one trailing directly behind the other by some distance and both bodies are traveling at .999 C how does the gravity work between them? For...
  42. A

    Relativistic Energy of a Ball: Understanding the Equivalence of Mass and Energy

    according to mass-energy equivalent theorem, Regardless of whether the object is at rest or moving, the object of mass m having energy E=mc2. suppose a ball of mass m is placed on ground, then how much energy this ball have? Is it equal to E=mc2 ?? now if we place this ball above the...
  43. K

    Relativistic mass increase due to high temperatures inside stars?

    Wikipedia says that the core temperature of our Sun is 15.7×10^6 Kelvins. I don't know what that means in terms of protons' velocities inside the core, but I bet they move pretty fast. Could they move that fast that they have a noticeable increase in mass due to their relativistic speed...
  44. R

    Yet another relativistic acceleration question

    Hello. I have read many of the posts on this forum concerning relativistic accelerations, constant accelerations to exceed the speed of light, etc. and one thing is still bothering me about the concept: why can one not accelerate constantly to achieve any arbitrary velocity as calculated in...
  45. Nabeshin

    Theoretical problems with relativistic space flight

    The following is a paper I wrote mainly to collect my thoughts and document some research I did about interstellar space flight. The main ideas for this paper grew out of the things I always hear people talk about (blueshifted radiation) but I never see the math behind it, so I developed a few...
  46. A

    Solve Relativistic Lens Problem: Focal Length & Gamma

    How would you go about solving a problem involving a lens moving at relativistic speeds, or an object being relativistic being viewed through a lens? instead of coming up with a specific problem, does anyone know what happens to lens' focal length and such as its velocity becomes large? not so...
  47. N

    Relativistic particle in magnetic field

    Homework Statement This is just a short response problem on my homework. It asks: "If a particle is moving at a relativistic velocity, is the following equation still valid? |q|vB = mv2/r If the particle is an electron, what is the value of the mass?" (electron mass = 9.1094x10-31)...
  48. J

    Relativistic length expansion in general accelerated system

    Relativistic length expansion in general accelerated system revisited Authors: J.Foukzon, S.A.Podosenov, A.A.Potapov (Submitted on 13 Oct 2009) http://arxiv.org/abs/0910.2298 Abstract: The aim of the present article is to give an exact and correct representation of the essentially...
  49. G

    What happens after you travel at a relativistic speed

    If a spaceship is moving at a relativistic speed past the earth, the people on Earth would believe that the time in the spaceship was moving slower. The people on the spaceship would believe the time on the Earth was moving slower. So what happens when the spaceship stops? Do both times revert...
  50. D

    Relativistic momentum and energies

    Homework Statement A meson (elementary particle) decays into two photons, each of energy 150MeV in its rest frame. Find the mesonic kinetic energy in the case of a symmetric decay in flight with an angle of 60degrees between the photon momenta (30 degrees for each particle on each side of the...
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