{{page>wiki:headers:hheader}}

====== Energy, Mass, Momentum ======

===== Prompt =====

** "Draw a hyperbolic triangle showing energy, mass, and momentum." **

===== Context =====
//Estimated Time: 10 minutes, including wrap-up//

This [[strategy:smallwhiteboard:|SWBQ]] unifies the concepts of energy and
momentum and provides a geometric tool for computing energy, momentum, and
mass from each other.

Students should know the basics of hyperbola geometry, and be familiar with
proper time, 4-velocity, 4-momentum.


===== Wrap Up =====

  * Momentum, energy, mass behave like space, time, proper time.
  * These quantities are geometrically related to each other, using hyperbolic triangle trig.
  * Derive the relationship $E^2-p^2c^2=m^2c^4$.
  * Point out that this relationship holds even when $m=0$, so that massless particles can also be analyzed this way.

{{rfenergy.ppt|Powerpoint slide}}
\\\\
{{rfenergy.pdf|PDF slide}}

{{page>wiki:footers:courses:rffooter}}
{{page>wiki:footers:topics:srfooter}}