Lorentz Transformation in Mathematica appears wrong.

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the implementation of the Lorentz Transformation in Mathematica, specifically addressing an error in the graphical representation of the transformation. The user attempted to animate the transformation using the equations x' = x cosh(ω) - t sinh(ω) and t' = t cosh(ω) - x sinh(ω). The resulting animation incorrectly displayed the vertices of the transformed shape in the top left and lower right quadrants instead of the expected top right and lower left. The solution involves using the inverse transformation matrix {{cosh, sinh}, {sinh, cosh}} and switching the signs on the sinh terms to correct the direction of rotation.

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So, I'm trying (keyword trying) to learn a bit of special relativity on my own via the Stanford lectures on Youtube by Leonard Susskind, but I'm running into a problem.

According to the lectures, for two different reference frames with co-ordinates marked (x, t) and (x', t'), the latter moving, x' = x cosh(ω) - t sinh(ω), and t' = t cosh(ω) - x sinh(ω). (The velocity of the moving reference frame is sinh(ω)/cosh(ω). c = 1.). I've tried to graph this in Mathematica as an animation with omega (and thus velocity) increasing per frame.

Here is my code:

List1 = {};
List2 = {};
For[ω = 0, ω <= 1, ω = ω + 0.1,
For[x = -5, x <= 5, ++x,
For[t = -5, t <= 5, ++t,
AppendTo[
List1, {x Cosh[ω] - t Sinh[ω], -x Sinh[ω] +
t Cosh[ω]}]]]; AppendTo[List2, List1]; List1 = {}]
Animate[ListPlot[Part[List2, n]], {n, 1, 11, 1}]

The problem is, what I get is that, over time, the square turns into a gradually thinner parallelogram-like shape, but the "further" vertices are in the top left and lower right quadrants. According to the Wolfram Demonstrations Project, they should be in the top right and lower left quadrants. What did I do wrong?
 
Last edited:
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You have the inverse transformation. So take the inverse of your matrix:

The inverse of {{cosh,-sinh},{-sinh,cosh}} is {{cosh,sinh},{sinh,cosh}}

Its all about in which direction you're rotating.

What it boils down to is to switch the signs on the Sinh's
 

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