Increase in surface charge density in different frames of reference

lys04
Messages
144
Reaction score
5
I am reading Purcell's Electricity and Magnetism and am getting confused on equation 5.22. It seems to me they are using relativistic velocity addition for u' which is u'=(u-v)/(1-uv/c^2), but aren't we solving for the velocity of the electrons in the test charge's frame of reference, so should be using the reverse transformation instead? i.e u=(u'+v)/(1+u'v/c^2)?
The only way this equation has the correct sign is if v=-v though, I guess this makes sense because if in the lab's frame the test charge is moving to the right with velocity v then in the test charge's frame of reference the lab is moving to the left with same speed?
1726964398494.jpeg
1726964408189.jpeg
1726964415294.jpeg
 
on Phys.org
lys04 said:
I am reading Purcell's Electricity and Magnetism and am getting confused on equation 5.22. It seems to me they are using relativistic velocity addition for u' which is u'=(u-v)/(1-uv/c^2), but aren't we solving for the velocity of the electrons in the test charge's frame of reference, so should be using the reverse transformation instead? i.e u=(u'+v)/(1+u'v/c^2)?
No, they want to calculate the primed velocity of the electrons.

In the book is misleading, that they call (before Eq. 5.22) the Eq. G.7 "formula for addition of velocities". That name fits better to the inverse of it, Eq. G.8.
 

Similar threads

Replies
12
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
13K
  • · Replies 36 ·
2
Replies
36
Views
6K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
4K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
4K