We provide three examples of the use of geometric reasoning with three-dimensional spacetime diagrams, rather than algebraic manipulations using three-dimensional Lorentz transformations, to analyze problems in special relativity. The examples are the “rising manhole” paradox, the “moving spotlight” problem, and Einstein's light-clock derivation of time dilation.
REFERENCES
1.
Annenberg Foundation, The Mechanical Universe…and Beyond (video series), Lesson 42: “The Lorentz Transformation” (
1985
). Viewable in North America at <http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html>.2.
Daniel
Weiskopf
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Edwin F.
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and John
Archibald Wheeler
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Edwin F.
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Tevian
Dray
, The Geometry of Special Relativity
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Tevian
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Online versions of these and subsequent figures are available as rotatable Java applets at <http://physics.oregonstate.edu/coursewikis/GSR/book/updates/3d>.
10.
David J.
Griffiths
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, 3rd ed. (Prentice-Hall
, Upper Saddle River, NJ
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).11.
This figure appears opposite the title page of Ref. 7 and is used with permission; the following discussion is adapted from Sec. 6.4 of that reference.
12.
Joachim
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Tevian
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Corinne A.
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Paradigms in Physics Team, Paradigms in Physics project website, <http://physics.oregonstate.edu/portfolioswiki>.
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2013
American Association of Physics Teachers
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