Four-momenta trend as a function of proper time

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the dynamics of four-momenta in the context of special relativity, specifically focusing on the relationship between four-momenta and proper time as influenced by electromagnetic fields. Participants are analyzing equations related to the four-momenta and their derivatives with respect to proper time, exploring the implications of these relationships in a physical context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the integration of equations related to four-momenta, questioning the correctness of their component-wise analysis and the relationships between different components. There is an exploration of rewriting equations in terms of four-momenta and the implications of certain equalities derived from electromagnetic field conditions.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing guidance on how to approach the problem and suggesting that certain relationships between components can yield useful insights. There is an ongoing examination of the implications of derived equations, with participants questioning assumptions and the correctness of their interpretations.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating potential confusion arising from different conventions in defining four-momenta components. There is also a recognition that certain integrals must yield linear relationships in terms of proper time, which remains a point of clarification in the discussion.

  • #31
I don't know if you see my last question in the previous post.

$$p^2(\tau)=\gamma(0) (qE_y(1-v_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0))$$

If now I integrate this:
$$\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}=\gamma(0) \frac qm E_yp^2$$
$$p^0(\tau)=\gamma(0) \bigg(\frac qm E_yp^2\tau + m\bigg)$$

##p^2## in this case is ##p^2(0)## or ##p^2(\tau)##? If is ##p^2(\tau)##, why for ##p^0-p^1## we used ##p^0(0)-p^1(0)=\gamma m (1-v_x(0))##?
 
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  • #32
Frostman said:
One question: ##p^0-p^1## are ##p^0(0)-p^1(0)## or ##p^0(\tau)-p^1(\tau)##?
##p^0(\tau)-p^1(\tau)##, of course.
Frostman said:
If now I integrate this:
$$\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}=\gamma(0) \frac qm E_yp^2$$
$$p^0(\tau)=\gamma(0) \bigg(\frac qm E_yp^2\tau + m\bigg)$$
Where does the ##\gamma## come from? And also how do you do that integral?
Frostman said:
##p^2## in this case is ##p^2(0)## or ##p^2(\tau)##? If is ##p^2(\tau)##, why for ##p^0-p^1## we used ##p^0(0)-p^1(0)=\gamma m (1-v_x(0))##?
Again, ##p^2 = p^2(\tau)##. The second question can be answered in different ways, but you should be able to answer it by looking at
$$\frac{d p^0}{d \tau} = \frac{d p^1}{d \tau}$$
 
  • #33
Hi Frostman

have a look at this, mainly chapter 6 from page 89 on:

http://www.dfm.uninsubria.it/fh/FHpages/Teaching_files/appSR2.pdf

Furthermore, I’ like to carry your attention to the fact that the velocity ##\vec v ## has three components , so what is ##\gamma## ? To which component does it refer ? No, you can’t do that way, the motion of the charged particle isn’t in the ##x## axis direction only.
Just use the law that you have written for ## \frac { dp^{\mu}}{d\tau}## using the Faraday tensor, the last one that takes into account that ##\vec E ## is parallel to ##y## axis and ## \vec B## is parallel to the ##z## axis , and they have the same magnitude.
 
  • #34
Gaussian97 said:
Where does the ##\gamma## come from? And also how do you do that integral?
##\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}=\gamma \frac qm E_yp^2##

##p^0(\tau)-p^0(0)=\int_{0}^{\tau}d\tau\gamma \frac qm E_yp^2(\tau)##

##p^0(\tau)-p^0(0)=\int_{0}^{\tau}d\tau\gamma \frac qm E_y\gamma(0) (qE_y(1-v_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0))##

I need to solve this right?

Gaussian97 said:
Again, ##p^2 = p^2(\tau)##. The second question can be answered in different ways, but you should be able to answer it by looking at
$$\frac{d p^0}{d \tau} = \frac{d p^1}{d \tau}$$

Yes. I understand this step.
 
  • #35
Frostman said:
##\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}=\gamma \frac qm E_yp^2##

##p^0(\tau)-p^0(0)=\int_{0}^{\tau}d\tau\gamma \frac qm E_yp^2(\tau)##

##p^0(\tau)-p^0(0)=\int_{0}^{\tau}d\tau\gamma \frac qm E_y\gamma(0) (qE_y(1-v_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0))##

I need to solve this right?
Yes, that's the idea, but you have an extra ##\gamma## factor in ##\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}=\gamma \frac qm E_yp^2## which will complicate the integral. Try to compute ##\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}## again. Once you've done that, the integral becomes quite trivial and the problem is almost done.
 
  • #36
italicus said:
Hi Frostman

have a look at this, mainly chapter 6 from page 89 on:

http://www.dfm.uninsubria.it/fh/FHpages/Teaching_files/appSR2.pdf

Furthermore, I’ like to carry your attention to the fact that the velocity ##\vec v ## has three components , so what is ##\gamma## ? To which component does it refer ? No, you can’t do that way, the motion of the charged particle isn’t in the ##x## axis direction only.
Just use the law that you have written for ## \frac { dp^{\mu}}{d\tau}## using the Faraday tensor, the last one that takes into account that ##\vec E ## is parallel to ##y## axis and ## \vec B## is parallel to the ##z## axis , and they have the same magnitude.

##\gamma## in this case is ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-(v_x(0)^2+v_y(0)^2+v_z(0)^2)}}##
 
  • #37
Gaussian97 said:
Yes, that's the idea, but you have an extra ##\gamma## factor in ##\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}=\gamma \frac qm E_yp^2## which will complicate the integral. Try to compute ##\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}## again. Once you've done that, the integral becomes quite trivial and the problem is almost done.
Okay, tomorrow I'll try to put it all together.

What I got for ##p^3(\tau)## is it right?
##p^3(\tau) - p^3(0) = 0 \rightarrow p^3(\tau)= \text{cost} = m\gamma v_z(0)##
 
  • #38
Yes, but again, you should specify ##\gamma(0)##
Frostman said:
##\gamma## in this case is ##\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-(v_x(0)^2+v_y(0)^2+v_z(0)^2)}}##
If this is your definition of ##\gamma##, then it's okay to write ##\gamma## instead of ##\gamma(0)##, but notice that after some time the "relativistic factor" (the one you need to use to compute time dilation, etc...) will no longer be ##\gamma##.
 
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  • #39
@Frostman

please check the dimensions, because the mass ##m## is already contained in ##\vec p##, so I think there is a dimensional mistake.
Make reference to ##\frac{d\vec p}{dt} =q(\vec E +\vec v\times\vec B)##, then introduce the relativistic ##\vec p## and the Faraday tensor. If you take ##m## out of the derivative in the LHS and divide both members by it , the LHS becomes an acceleration, and the RHS contains q/m.
IMO.
 
Last edited:
  • #40
italicus said:
@Frostman

please check the dimensions, because the mass ##m## is already contained in ##\vec p##, so I think there is a dimensional mistake.
Make reference to ##\frac{d\vec p}{dt} =q(\vec E +\vec v\times\vec B)##, then introduce the relativistic ##\vec p## and the Faraday tensor. If you take ##m## out of the derivative in the LHS and divide both members by it , the LHS becomes an acceleration, and the RHS contains q/m.
IMO.
Which equation are you referring to?
 
  • #41
Good morning to both of you, I try to do a little order since between one answer and the other we had to correct some of my misunderstandings.

Let's start with the relation that describes the motion of a particle in an electromagnetic field:
$$\frac{dp^\mu}{d\tau}=qF^{\mu\nu}p_{\nu}=\frac qm F^{\mu\nu}p_\nu$$
Component by component:

##\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}=\frac qm E_yp_2(\tau)##
##\frac{dp^1}{d\tau}=\frac qm B_zp_2(\tau) \equiv \frac{dp^0}{d\tau}##
##\frac{dp^2}{d\tau}=\frac qm (E_yp_0(\tau)-B_zp_1(\tau))=\frac qmE_y (p_0(\tau)-p_1(\tau))##
##\frac{dp^3}{d\tau}=0##

Now, let's look at the first and second equations, due to the fact that ##|E|=|B|## we have:
$$\frac{dp^1}{d\tau}=\frac{dp^0}{d\tau}$$
Integrating:
$$p^0(\tau)-p^0(0)=p^1(\tau)-p^1(0)$$ $$p^0(\tau)-p^1(\tau)=p^0(0)-p^1(0)$$
This allows us first of all to integrate the following component:

$$\int_{p^2(0)}^{p^2(\tau)}dp^2=\int_0^\tau d\tau\frac qmE_y (p_0(\tau)-p_1(\tau))$$
Using the result just obtained:
$$\int_{p^2(0)}^{p^2(\tau)}dp^2=\int_0^\tau d\tau\frac qmE_y (p_0(0)-p_1(0))$$$$p^2(\tau)=\frac qmE_y (p_0(0)-p_1(0))\tau+p^2(0)$$$$p^2(\tau)=\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac qmE_y (m-mv_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0)\bigg]$$
Now we can go to evaluate the first two components of ##p_\nu##:
$$\int_{p^0(0)}^{p^0(\tau)}dp^0=\int_0^\tau d\tau\frac qm E_yp_2(\tau)$$$$\int_{p^0(0)}^{p^0(\tau)}dp^0=\int_0^\tau d\tau\frac qm E_y\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac qmE_y (m-mv_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0)\bigg]$$$$p^0(\tau)=\frac qm E_y\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac qmE_y (m-mv_x(0))\frac{\tau^2}2+mv_y(0)\tau\bigg]+p^0(0)$$$$p^0(\tau)=\frac {q^2}{m^2} E_y^2\gamma(0)(m-mv_x(0))\frac{\tau^2}2+\frac qm E_y\gamma(0)mv_y(0)\tau+\gamma(0)m$$$$p^0(\tau)=\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac {q^2}{m} E_y^2(1-v_x(0))\frac{\tau^2}2+q E_yv_y(0)\tau+m\bigg]$$
Now for ##p^1(\tau)## we can use this relation that we find:
$$p^0(\tau)-p^1(\tau)=p^0(0)-p^1(0)$$ $$p^1(\tau)=p^0(\tau)-p^0(0)+p^1(0)$$$$p^1(\tau)=\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac {q^2}{m} E_y^2(1-v_x(0))\frac{\tau^2}2+q E_yv_y(0)\tau+mv_x(0)\bigg]$$
Dulcis in fundo:
$$\frac{dp^3}{d\tau}=0$$$$\int_{p^3(0)}^{p^3(\tau)}dp^3=0$$$$p^3(\tau)-p^3(0)=0$$$$p^3(\tau)=\gamma(0)mv_z(0)$$
So summing up the various components we have:
$$p^0(\tau)=\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac {q^2}{m} E_y^2(1-v_x(0))\frac{\tau^2}2+q E_yv_y(0)\tau+m\bigg]$$$$p^1(\tau)=\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac {q^2}{m} E_y^2(1-v_x(0))\frac{\tau^2}2+q E_yv_y(0)\tau+mv_x(0)\bigg]$$$$p^2(\tau)=\gamma(0)\bigg[qE_y (1-v_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0)\bigg]$$$$p^3(\tau)=\gamma(0)mv_z(0)$$
I hope everything is correct and did not make any miscalculations, let me know!
 
  • #42
Yes! This is almost perfect.
Fist a little mistake that is not important:
Frostman said:
Let's start with the relation that describes the motion of a particle in an electromagnetic field:
$$\frac{dp^\mu}{d\tau}=qF^{\mu\nu}p_{\nu}=\frac qm F^{\mu\nu}p_\nu$$
It should be
$$\frac{dp^\mu}{d\tau}=qF^{\mu\nu}u_{\nu}=\frac qm F^{\mu\nu}p_\nu$$
But fortunately, this doesn't affect the rest of the computation.
Unfortunately, there is another mistake that does affect the final result
Frostman said:
$$p^2(\tau)=\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac qmE_y (m-mv_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0)\bigg]$$
Now we can go to evaluate the first two components of ##p_\nu##:
$$\int_{p^0(0)}^{p^0(\tau)}dp^0=\int_0^\tau d\tau\frac qm E_yp_2(\tau)$$$$\int_{p^0(0)}^{p^0(\tau)}dp^0=\int_0^\tau d\tau\frac qm E_y\gamma(0)\bigg[\frac qmE_y (m-mv_x(0))\tau+mv_y(0)\bigg]$$
Notice that you have computed ##p^2(\tau)##, but inside the integral you have ##p_2(\tau)##. What's the relation between these two?
 
  • #43
Gaussian97 said:
Yes! This is almost perfect.
Fist a little mistake that is not important:

It should be
dpμdτ=qFμνuν=qmFμνpν
But fortunately, this doesn't affect the rest of the computation.
Yep, I just forgot to change the name!
Gaussian97 said:
Unfortunately, there is another mistake that does affect the final result
Notice that you have computed p2(τ), but inside the integral you have p2(τ). What's the relation between these two?
A sign! I forgot to keep in mind that ##p^2(\tau)=-p_2(\tau)##, right?
 
  • #44
Yes, and I think, after that everything is ok, unless @italicus wants to add something else that I have missed.
 
  • #45
Gaussian97 said:
Yes, and I think, after that everything is ok, unless @italicus wants to add something else that I have missed.
Okay, perfect. I await @italicus! In the meantime, I thank you and sorry for the stupid mistakes that I made yesterday, I was practicing all day and I was destroyed.
 
  • #46
No worries, we are here to help!
 
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  • #47
Gaussian97 said:
No worries, we are here to help!
I just wanted to evidence what @Gaussian97 told in #42. The mass m is part of ##p^{\mu}##.
 

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