Two dimensional relativistic collision
Some Modern Physics and Special Relativity textbooks
use a two dimensional collision of point particles to
find the dependence of mass with velocity; however their
figures are for non relativistic trajectories.
This program shows this relativistic collision from two
reference systems: the laboratory and a rocket.
The program allows the selection of particle B (top one
in each system) using the horizontal scroll bar. This
velocity is taken the same as the one for the displacement
of one system relative to the other.
The program also allows the selection of the rate at which
the collision takes place; if it is less than 1.0, the
process transcurs slowly, and greater than 1.0, faster. In this
way we simulate the "projection" of a movie in which the frames per
second can be varied.
It is posible to analyze the collision from other points of
view: in a Minkowski diagram and in a non relativistic treatment.
Disponible en espaņol
Minkowski diagram |
Non relativistic treatment
Instructions
The velocity of particle B (top in each system) is
selected with the horizontal scroll bar.
The rate at which the motion takes place is selected with
the vertical scroll bar.
Vel B is the velocity of particle B (top in each system)
in the laboratory system.
v is the displacement velocity of one reference
system with respect to the other.
rate Related to the frames "projected" per unit time
in the rocket reference system.