Relativity 104a: Special Relativity - Lorentz Transformation Geometry (no equations)

Einstein's original 1905 paper on Special Relativity: "One the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies"

0:00 Intro
0:53 Galilean Transformation changes speed of light
3:13 Lorentz Transformation Intro
4:55 Simultaneity
8:28 Tilting the position axis
10:27 Keeping the speed of light constant
12:25 Rhombuses, not parallelograms
13:47 Summary

[MRich]

Love this.

I initially was confused why light bouncing off of a *sloped* (non-stationary) world line still forms a right angle, but then realized that that can be concluded from the light entering at a 45 degree angle (i.e at the speed of light) and exiting at a 45 degree angle (also the speed of light - but in the opposite x-axis direction).

Really just wild that this is free. Feel like I'm reliving my glory days in college. Just so, so good. Thank you.

[exploreit]

This is most relevant and intutive explanation i have ever gone

[eigenchris]

Einstein's original 1905 paper on Special Relativity: "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies"

[trigocuantico]

This way of deriving the basic rule for the Lorentz Transform is brilliant, loving your vids thank you so much for making this easy

[swindler]

Incredible, incredible explanations. You have an amazing talent for education, friend.

[imaginer]

Every seconds of your video contains information . You do not know how much you help me 🤔🤗

[Tom-spgy]

This is the best video on LT I’ve yet seen !

[DavideLibenzi]

Probably one of the best down to earth explanation of the SR basic geometry, whose lines of reasoning should be used instead of the usual "light clock" 👍

[joeheafner]

Excellent presentation of spacetime diagrams and the invariance of light’s speed! I will have no qualms about referring my students to these videos.

[mrshovelbottom]

Thank you, watched you for your topology joke vid a day ago, realized you had this and using it to study for my Modern Physics Midterm in 2 days.

[klevisimeri]

The biggest respect for you! Amazing vids! Just amazingly clear!

[tomteptv]

Very intuitive! Thanks for making this awesome video <3

[michaelrafales]

Really love your videos. You're a great educator. What software do you use to make your animations?

[coolcat]

Great visualisation and explanation of the Lorentz transform. Personally, I need to become clearer on the distinction between time delays caused by spacetime transformations and those caused by time-of-arrival differences. Due to the finite speed of light, changing positions cause differences in time-of-arrival (for a non-moving observer), also affecting perceived simultaneity, but those effects need to be kept apart from the core of special relativity.

[lourencoentrudo]

Wow two eigenchris videos in one day... I must be dreaming

[stanmilora]

You always get to the point at light speed. Impressive.

[biblebot]

Thoughts for new exponent notation:
The multiplication symbol is placed before the exponent
First: nn = n^2 (no symbol for normal multiplication, so no symbol before the exponent)
Second: n • n = n^•2 (dot products use dots, so put a dot before the exponent)
Third: n x n = n^x2 (cross products use an x, so put that before the exponent)

[przadka]

These lectures are brilliant Chris - thanks so much for the work you put into this. It took some time for me to understand everything but finally things started to fall into place. One question: is the Lorentz transformation discussed here (scissor-like slanting) the only possible transformation that preserves the speed of light in all reference frames?

[godsrighteousness]

wow this is a very thought provoking explanation!

[shqipe]

Great. Thank you.I watched all of your videos so far. Have you ever thought on making videos on Ricci flow and Hamilton Ricci flow with surgery? It is very interesting topic and there are no videos to explain this well. It will be very challenging.