Proper acceleration of cyclotron particle.

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the proper acceleration of a particle moving in a circular path within the context of special relativity. The original poster explores the relationship between four acceleration and proper acceleration, particularly in the instantaneous rest frame of the particle.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to derive the proper acceleration from the four acceleration by setting the Lorentz factor to one in the instantaneous rest frame. They question the validity of their reasoning when they find a discrepancy with laboratory frame calculations.

Discussion Status

Some participants have identified potential errors in the original poster's reasoning regarding the applicability of four acceleration across different inertial frames. There is an ongoing exploration of the implications of these errors and the nature of the transformations required.

Contextual Notes

Participants are discussing the assumptions regarding the validity of four acceleration in various reference frames and the need for transformations to apply it correctly in different contexts.

center o bass
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Hey! I've been working on a problem here for which I have found the four acceleration of a particle going in a circle with radius R to be

[tex]\underline{A} = -R\omega^2 \gamma^2 (0,\cos(\omega \gamma \tau), \sin(\omega \gamma \tau), 0)[/tex]

and in going from this to find the proper acceleration I reasoned as follows: The four acceleration is valid in all inertial frames and in the instantaneous rest frame of the particle it self it will have a spatial four acceleration which is the proper acceleration of the particle, i.e

[tex]\underline{A} = (0, \vec a_0)[/tex]
in the instantaneous particle. In this frame [itex]\gamma[/itex]=1 so i reasoned that if i just sett [itex]\gamma[/itex]=1 in the above expression I get the proper acceleration. I thus obtain

[tex]\vec a_0 = -\omega ^2 R(\cos(\omega \tau), \sin(\omega \tau),0)[/tex]
which means that
[tex]a_0 = \omega^2 R.[/tex]
but laboratory frame of the cyclotron
[tex]v = \omega R \ \ \ \ a = \frac{v^2}{R}[/tex]
so that
[tex]a_0 = a[/tex]
So this is clearly wrong.
However another line of reasoning would be to say that in the instantaneous rest frame of the particle
[tex]\underline{A} = (0, \vec a_0)[/tex]
so the invariant norm is equal to

[tex]\vec a_0^2 = A_\mu A^\mu = (R\omega^2 \gamma^2)^2[/tex]
such that
[tex]a_0 = R\omega^2 \gamma^2 = \gamma^2 a[/tex]
Which is correct. So my question is, what is wrong about the first line of reasoning?
 
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I think I spotted my error. The four acceleration is not valid in all inertial frames. One must transform it to another reference frame in order to use it there.
 
Last edited:
center o bass said:
I think I spotted by error. The four acceleration is not valid in all inertial frames. One must transform it to another reference frame in order to use it there.

Less than 5 minutes later you spotted your error? Ok.
 
dimension10 said:
Less than 5 minutes later you spotted your error? Ok.

Yes, I'm sorry. It is amazing how your subconsciousness works on the problem when you are trying to formulate it.
 

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