Does Spacelike Worldlines Exist?

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SUMMARY

The term "worldline" is defined as the path followed by an object through spacetime, which can be timelike or null. However, it is established that "worldline" should not be used for spacelike trajectories, which are better described as "lines" or "curves." The discussion emphasizes that using "worldline" for spacelike paths may lead to misconceptions about particle movement. Therefore, it is recommended to continue using "curve" for spacelike trajectories to maintain clarity in terminology.

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kent davidge
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I'm writing some notes and I don't know if the term "worldline" is used only for timelike paths. When referring to spacelike trajectories, I have been using the word "curve" so far. Can I use "worldline" too?
 
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A worldline is the path followed by something through spacetime. It can therefore be timelike or null. Until we discover tachyons, it can't be spacelike.
 
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Trajectories you say gives me a false image that particles goes along it. So space like lines, e.g. lines of synchronization, should be called just "lines" with no world-, trajectory or orbit.
 
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kent davidge said:
When referring to spacelike trajectories, I have been using the word "curve" so far. Can I use "worldline" too?
I would continue using curve. Worldline implies that the curve represents the position of some particle or object.
 
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