Solving Problems on Relativistic Momentum | Special Relativity

This video presents a set of problems on the topic of Relativistic Momentum in Special Relativity. The video forms a part of a series of problem solving videos on various topics in Special Relativity posted on this channel. This video also forms a part of a series of lecture videos on Special Relativity on this channel. Albert Einstein's theory of Special Relativity is one of the most intriguing as well as fascinating theories of modern science. Its implications are far reaching and impactful. The concept of momentum since Newtonian times is well established in classical physics. It is one of the conserved quantities in the absence of external forces and it is expressed simply as a product of mass of an object and its velocity. This expression for momentum is valid as long as the velocity is within the classical limits. In special relativity, where high velocities are involved, this expression is no longer accurate depiction of momentum and hence a relativistic expression for momentum is introduced where the relativistic factor namely the gamma factor or the Lorentz factor comes into the expression for momentum. This expression for momentum called as the relativistic momentum which is a product of the gamma factor with the mass and velocity of the object is a simple yet powerful expression that has profound implications in several branches of physics including nuclear and particle physics. In this video, beginning with this relativistic expression for momentum, we proceed to solve several interesting and challenging problems on the topic which will be useful for students studying physics at various levels such as undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is also believed that this video will come quite handy to students preparing for various competitive exams such as the Physics GRE or the IIT JAM or JEST etc. It is an important addition to the series of problem videos on Special Relativity in the sense that it specifically discusses problems related to only relativistic momentum rather than combining with the concept of relativistic energy so that the viewers gain a thorough grounding on the concept of relativistic momentum and understand its profound importance in Physics.