How Do You Calculate Velocity in Lorentz Transformations?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating velocity using Lorentz transformations in the context of special relativity. The original poster presents a problem involving two events with specified spatial and temporal separations in different reference frames.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to manipulate the Lorentz transformation equation to find the velocity but encounters difficulties with algebraic errors. Some participants suggest using the invariance of the spacetime interval to find the temporal separation first.

Discussion Status

The discussion has progressed with the original poster resolving their algebraic errors and finding the velocity. There is acknowledgment that finding the temporal separation first could simplify the problem, indicating a productive direction in the conversation.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the complexities of Lorentz transformations and the implications of different methods for solving the problem. The original poster initially followed a recommended method but later recognized an alternative approach that may be more straightforward.

Nuclear#1
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I'm studying for my modern physics final and this problem is giving me trouble;

Q: In a frame S, two events have spatial separation deltaX= 600m, delta y and delta z = 0, and a temporal separation deltaT= 1micro second. A second frame S' is moving along the same axis with nonzero speed v (0'x' is parallel to 0x). In S' it is found that the spatial separation is deltaX' is also 600m. What are v and deltaT'?

My attempts have been using x'=gamma(x-vt), now I plug in the known data and try to manipulate the equation into a quadratic I can solve, but every time I do it I wind up not getting anywhere close to being correct. What does the proper quadratic formula look like? The correct answers are v = 0.8C and T = -1 micro second. I just need help finding how to find the velocity. Please help, any thing would be helpful.
 
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Can you first find \Delta T' by using invariance of the spacetime interval?
 
Sorry but I figured it out, I was making algebraic errors. The quadratic turns into; 1.25v^2 - cv = 0. with v = 0 and v = 2.4E8, which is 0.8c. I didn't think you could find delta T' first, so I went about it doing it this way because it was the recommended method. Sorry for the inconvenience.
 
Great!

Actually, it is trivial to find delta T' first, which then eliminates the need to use terms quadratic in v.
 

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