Recent content by spaceofwaste

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    What is the alternative representation of SO(2) and its significance?

    The usual representation I see of an element of SO(2) is: \left( \begin{array}{ c c } cos(\theta) & sin(\theta) \\ -sin(\theta) & cos(\theta) \end{array} \right) and it is easy to show that if you make a passive rotation of a cartesian frame by \theta then this matrix will take the...
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    What is the law of reflection in special relativity?

    I come out with this monster finally anyway: \theta_r-\theta_i=-2tan(\gamma)+arctan(\frac{u_(y')(i)+vu_(x')(i)u_(y')(i)}{\gamma(u_(x')(i)+v+v[u_(x')(i)]^2+v^2u_(x')(i)})+arctan(\frac{u_(x')(i)+vu_(x')(i)u_(y')(i)}{\gamma(u_(y')(i)+v+v[u_(y')(i)]^2+v^2u_(y')(i)}) where the u_(y')(i) etc...
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    What is the law of reflection in special relativity?

    Hi, I'm working through an Excercise in Sean Carrol's spacetime and geometry book. The question asks you to consider an inertial frame S with coordinates x^\mu=(t,x,y,z) and a frame S' with primed coordinates. Which is related to S by a boost v in the y direction. Imagine a wall( or mirror)...
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