3d simulation of special relativity

In summary, Pete is a mathematician who is interested in simulating near-light speed travel. He has found that real space ceases to be Euclidean at this speed, and is investigating ways to simulate this effect. He is also interested in observing what happens to a player travelling at this speed.
  • #1
Petroz
5
0
Hi My name is Pete and this is my first post. I'm a few months away from finishing a degree in mathematics.

I'm planning to program a simulation of near light speed travel (not for school, just for personal interest). I'm looking to understand this topic better. I went to a seminar on hyperbolic geometry and discovered that at near lightspeed real space stops being quite so euclidean. I found this interesting and now I'm curious how this (and the other effects of high speeds) could be simulated.

The simulation is in the context of a game so it will have to be able to be in real-time, hence computationally inexpensive; I don't mind approximating things.

What I am most interested in is what will be observed by the player who is traveling at say 0.9c. I want to understand how will the visual aspects be distorted as one approaches lightspeed. These needn't be perfectly simulated but it would be nice to at least give the player a feeling of what traveling really fast is like.

things that i believe will happen from the perspective of spacecraft :
  • time distortion
    Distortion of time will be done via the lorentz transformation but repositioning objects via lorentz transforms might be a bit CPU and intensive since the will be a great number of objects.
  • reduced in angle for the field of vision
    I'm working on an angular transformation dependent on speed, i'll let you all know if i come up with anything of substance. I just need to put it into maple and find a symbolic transformation rather than a graphical one.
  • contraction of spacecraft
  • blue shift
are there other things i should be aware of? Have i gotten anything wrong/backward? Any comments/links etc. would be greatly appreciated, thankyou for your time.


-Pete
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
You probably want to read about "Terrell rotation" then. There's a sci.physics.faq on it here.

Searle is one of many authors who have a website about related topics. See http://www.anu.edu.au/Physics/Searle/, on the Australian National University website.

I'd say that both of the above are pretty reliable sources (if you get serious, you'll probably want to track down Terrell's original paper).

Here are some past threads on PF

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=124176 (check out the rolling wheels animation in particular, at http://www.spacetimetravel.org/rad/rad.html - I haven't personally investigated the technical accuracy of the website, but it looks cool)

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=52269

You'll probably find more. Google for Terrell (and alternate spellings, sometimes one of the r's or l's goes missing).
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Wow! i was hoping someone made something like that! i Always wanted to see SR simulated in a 3d interactive Enviroment!

Good Luck!
 
Last edited:
  • #6
Thanks for all the links, and useful information, the response has been overwhelming. I won't have a chance to really have a decent look at all this stuff until the weeekend.


-Petroz
 
  • #8
Okay I've checked out the links listed and they're awesome!
I think I've got all I need for now, thankyou all for your help.

-Petroz
 
  • #9
Fantastic! Could you make the game available to the general public after you finish it? That would be superb!
 
  • #10
Call me ambitious but my the plan for my game is to be an open sources MMO bigger than WOW and completely free. Of course there is the burden of server costs and I still haven't worked this one out. I've been thinking of trying to develop some kind of distributed servering so that the players all share the role of server but it would get messy and I haven't gotten beyond the planning stage of this project so it's hard to say how it will end.

If it gets released it won't be for at least 5 years.

-Petroz
 

1. What is the purpose of 3D simulation of special relativity?

The purpose of 3D simulation of special relativity is to visualize and understand the concepts of special relativity in a more tangible way. It allows scientists and students to see how objects and events behave in a three-dimensional space while accounting for the effects of special relativity.

2. How does 3D simulation of special relativity work?

3D simulation of special relativity uses mathematical equations and computer programming to create virtual environments and objects that follow the principles of special relativity. This allows users to see how time, space, and motion are interconnected and how they are affected by the speed of light.

3. What are the benefits of using 3D simulation of special relativity?

One of the main benefits of using 3D simulation of special relativity is that it can help users gain a better understanding of complex concepts by visualizing them. It also allows for easier experimentation and testing of different scenarios, which can aid in scientific research and discovery.

4. What are some real-world applications of 3D simulation of special relativity?

3D simulation of special relativity has a wide range of real-world applications. For example, it can be used in astronomy and astrophysics to study the behavior of objects in space, in engineering to design and test high-speed vehicles, and in medical imaging to improve the accuracy of medical scans and treatments.

5. Are there any limitations to 3D simulation of special relativity?

While 3D simulation of special relativity can provide a useful tool for understanding and studying the effects of special relativity, it is important to note that it is still a simplified representation of the complex reality. It may not accurately capture all aspects of special relativity and should be used in conjunction with other methods and experiments for a more comprehensive understanding.

Similar threads

I Coordinate and time transformations
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
5
Views
1K
B Development of Special Relativity
    • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
53
Views
4K
I Special relativity puzzle relating to motion of a body when restrictions are placed on the Doppler shift of the body
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
4
Views
392
A General equation for hyperbolic motion in a 2D plane -- Help needed please
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
14
Views
1K
B Difference between special relativity and redshift?
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
11
Views
1K
I Exploring Special Relativity: Patterns, Conjectures and Questions
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
3
Views
1K
B Solving the twin paradox with special relativity
    • Special and General Relativity
2
Replies
37
Views
3K
I Can we choose different functional forms for Lorentz transformation?
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
10
Views
595
I Determinism & General Relativity: A Physics Primer
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
15
Views
2K
I Acceleration in Special Relativity
    • Special and General Relativity
Replies
26
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top