What is the correct transformation for a 4-vector in special relativity?

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Hi all,

I got a 3 part Qs: γ=1/√1-v^2-c^2

Part A

Homework Statement



Consider the Lorentz transformation tensor

Matrix
Row 1: [ γ 0 0 -vγ/c]
Row 2: [ 0 1 0 0 ]
Row 3: [ 0 0 1 0 ]
Row 4:-[vγ/c 0 0 γ ]

for transforming 4-vectors from frame S to [itex]\overline{S}[/itex] according to[itex]\overline{A}[/itex][itex]^{\mu}[/itex] = L[itex]^{\mu}[/itex] [itex]_{v}[/itex] A[itex]^{v}[/itex] . The coordinate system is x[itex]^{0}[/itex] =ct, x[itex]^{1}[/itex] = x, x[itex]^{2}[/itex] = y, x[itex]^{3}[/itex] = z .

The Attempt at a Solution



Doing the transformation and then solving for it gives the answer:

d/d[itex]\overline{t}[/itex]=γ(d/dt-vd/dx), d/d[itex]\overline{x}[/itex]=γ(v/c^2 d/dt - d/dx), d/d[itex]\overline{y}[/itex] = d/dy, d/d[itex]\overline{z}[/itex]=d/dz

That's the answer I get but I am not sure about if I have the addition and substraction signs correct.

Part B

Homework Statement



In above question, if the 4-vector potential is given by [itex]\underline{A}[/itex]=([itex]\phi[/itex]/c, Ax, Ay, Az) in frame S what are its components in frame [itex]\overline{S}[/itex]?

The Attempt at a Solution



Again solving for and getting the answer, I am confused on the addition and subtraction signs:

[itex]\overline{A}[/itex]=(γ[itex]\varphi[/itex]/c + γv/c Ax, γAx+ γv[itex]\varphi[/itex]/c^2, Ay, Az)

Part C

Homework Statement



In Part B, the electric and magnetic fields are defined in frames S and [itex]\overline{S}[/itex] by

E[itex]^{(3)}[/itex]=-∇[itex]\varphi[/itex]-dA[itex]^{(3)}[/itex]/dt, [itex]\overline{E}[/itex][itex]^{(3)}[/itex]=-∇[itex]\overline{\varphi}[/itex]-d[itex]\overline{A}^{(3)}[/itex]/d[itex]\overline{t}[/itex], B[itex]^{(3)}[/itex]=∇xA[itex]^{3}[/itex], [itex]\overline{B}[/itex][itex]^{(3)}[/itex]=[itex]\overline{∇}[/itex]x[itex]\overline{A}^{(3)}[/itex],
[itex]\overline{A}[/itex]=([itex]\overline{\varphi}[/itex]/c, [itex]\overline{A}[/itex]x,

If

[itex]\overline{A}[/itex]y, [itex]\overline{A}[/itex]z)=([itex]\overline{\varphi}[/itex]/c, [itex]\overline{A}^{(3)}[/itex])

what is value of [itex]\overline{E}[/itex]x?

The Attempt at a Solution



Again solving for it I get my answer in which I am unsure of the addition and subtraction signs.

[itex]\overline{E}[/itex]x=Ex, [itex]\overline{E}[/itex]y=γ(Ey+vBz), [itex]\overline{E}[/itex]z=γ(Ez-vBy)

I am also not sure if the have the vector components assigned to the correct axis.

Help would be appreciated.
 
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on Phys.org
Hi,

no reply?

Help?
 
I'm not even sure what the questions are.
 
MisterX said:
I'm not even sure what the questions are.

In Part A - I am supposed to find the transformation of the L matrix using that tensor equation. Is my transformation correct? It was my attempt at the question.

In Part B - Again, are the components of [itex]\overline{S}[/itex] correct (ie. is [itex]\overline{A}[/itex] correct)? It was my attempt at the question.

In Part C - It is a bit crowded (the formulae) but essentially they are the electric and magnetic field equations E, E (dashed), B and B (dashed) of the S and S (dashed) frames.

A (dashed, the 'if' was supposed to start before the A dashed equation and not in the middle)

I am supposed to find the E (dashed, the 'x' is a typo, sorry) components of this system (from the A dashed equation of part B). If the above is wrong then so is my following working. Are the + and - signs in the answer? It was my attempt.

Thanks for brings that up.
 
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