Inertial Frame of Reference - ANSWER A frame in which an object
obeys Newton's first law (travels at a constant velocity because no
external force its on it)
Boost - ANSWER One frame moves relative to another frame with a
constant relative velocity
Galilean Transformations - ANSWER the set of equations that link
two reference frames by their relative velocity (x' = x - X, x = x' + vt, and
u' = u - v)
Newton's Postulates - ANSWER Space and time are fixed and
absolute (this is wrong)
Two observers in separate inertial frames must make the same
observations of the world, the laws of physics will hold for both frames
(also postulated by Einstein)
Maxwell's Four Equations - ANSWER Incorporate the value of the
speed of light (in free space) in a fundamental way, so that the speed of
light is constant for all observers
, Einstein's First Postulate (of Special Relativity) - ANSWER The laws of
physics are the same in all inertial reference frames
Einstein's Second Postulate (of Special Relativity) - ANSWER The
speed of light (in a vacuum) is the same in all inertial reference frames
Lorentz Factor - ANSWER
Spacetime Interval - ANSWER ∆s: the quantity, ct, an invariant
quantity that has dimensions of length and is defined for motion in the
x direction as ∆s² = (c∆t)² - ∆x²
Rest Mass - ANSWER An invariant quantity, m₀, the mass of a
particle in the frame in which the particle is at rest
Proper Time - ANSWER An invariant quantity, ∆t₀, the time interval
in the stationary frame (the frame where the events occur at the same
position.) The shortest possible measured time interval between two
events.
Light Clock - ANSWER Consists of two mirrors facing each other
across a room. An observer sits at rest in the room and watches light
reflect between the mirrors. The time light takes to pass between the
mirrors is t=2L/c if the distance between the mirrors is L.
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