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Minkowski space
Minkowski MetricMinkowski Metric SignatureMinkowski metric — why does it follow from the constancy of the speed of light?Minkowski spacetime: Is there a signature (+,+,+,+)?Minkowski spacetime vs Euclidian spaceMinkowski metric: Why does it look like it does?Minkowski spacetime with a twist?Understanding space-like hyperplanes in Minkowski spaceCan an a distance in Minkowski space, based on a Euclidean plane, be time-like?Affine space for Minkowski space time
$begingroup$
In Minkowski space, coordinates which satisfy
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
are in the region of spacetime that is time-like.
If it's
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 < 0$
the region is space-like.
But if
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
then its "trajectory of light-like particles".
I have understood the first two points about time- and space-like regions but I could not get the third one about "light-like particles".
My confusion is - why just light-like particles? There are many other particles at quantum level.
special-relativity mass metric-tensor causality
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
In Minkowski space, coordinates which satisfy
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
are in the region of spacetime that is time-like.
If it's
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 < 0$
the region is space-like.
But if
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
then its "trajectory of light-like particles".
I have understood the first two points about time- and space-like regions but I could not get the third one about "light-like particles".
My confusion is - why just light-like particles? There are many other particles at quantum level.
special-relativity mass metric-tensor causality
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
In the future, please use MathJax, not HTML markup, to display math. Thanks.
$endgroup$
– G. Smith
18 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
In Minkowski space, coordinates which satisfy
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
are in the region of spacetime that is time-like.
If it's
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 < 0$
the region is space-like.
But if
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
then its "trajectory of light-like particles".
I have understood the first two points about time- and space-like regions but I could not get the third one about "light-like particles".
My confusion is - why just light-like particles? There are many other particles at quantum level.
special-relativity mass metric-tensor causality
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
In Minkowski space, coordinates which satisfy
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
are in the region of spacetime that is time-like.
If it's
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 < 0$
the region is space-like.
But if
$x^2 = t^2 - X^2 > 0$
then its "trajectory of light-like particles".
I have understood the first two points about time- and space-like regions but I could not get the third one about "light-like particles".
My confusion is - why just light-like particles? There are many other particles at quantum level.
special-relativity mass metric-tensor causality
special-relativity mass metric-tensor causality
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
edited 7 hours ago
Gallifreyan
1056
1056
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
asked 21 hours ago
sk9298sk9298
655
655
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
sk9298 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$begingroup$
In the future, please use MathJax, not HTML markup, to display math. Thanks.
$endgroup$
– G. Smith
18 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
In the future, please use MathJax, not HTML markup, to display math. Thanks.
$endgroup$
– G. Smith
18 hours ago
$begingroup$
In the future, please use MathJax, not HTML markup, to display math. Thanks.
$endgroup$
– G. Smith
18 hours ago
$begingroup$
In the future, please use MathJax, not HTML markup, to display math. Thanks.
$endgroup$
– G. Smith
18 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
My confusion is about why just light like particles? there are many other particles at quantum level.
You are correct. The terminology is historical in nature. Light was the first massless particle to be discovered. The terminology “lightlike” was established before any other massless particles were discovered. Once other massless particles were discovered it was shown that they also travel along lightlike geodesics, but by then the term “lightlike” was well established.
An alternative term with the same meaning as “lightlike” is “null”. If you prefer then you can always use “null” and just understand that people saying “lightlike” mean the same thing.
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Only particles with zero mass can travel between two events which are separated by a light-like distance. The trajectory is called light-like because photons (light) are massless, and historically the first example of a massless particle, as well as the only example in the 1910's. There are other massless particles, like gluons which would also be able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance.
The reason why only massless particles are able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance is that it requires you to travel at exactly the speed of light. You can see this by considering the equation $t^2-x^2=0$, this means that $x=pm t$. These equations are with the units such that the speed of light $c=1$. Thus the particle taking this trajectory is travelling at the speed of light.
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
$endgroup$
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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oldest
votes
$begingroup$
My confusion is about why just light like particles? there are many other particles at quantum level.
You are correct. The terminology is historical in nature. Light was the first massless particle to be discovered. The terminology “lightlike” was established before any other massless particles were discovered. Once other massless particles were discovered it was shown that they also travel along lightlike geodesics, but by then the term “lightlike” was well established.
An alternative term with the same meaning as “lightlike” is “null”. If you prefer then you can always use “null” and just understand that people saying “lightlike” mean the same thing.
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
My confusion is about why just light like particles? there are many other particles at quantum level.
You are correct. The terminology is historical in nature. Light was the first massless particle to be discovered. The terminology “lightlike” was established before any other massless particles were discovered. Once other massless particles were discovered it was shown that they also travel along lightlike geodesics, but by then the term “lightlike” was well established.
An alternative term with the same meaning as “lightlike” is “null”. If you prefer then you can always use “null” and just understand that people saying “lightlike” mean the same thing.
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
My confusion is about why just light like particles? there are many other particles at quantum level.
You are correct. The terminology is historical in nature. Light was the first massless particle to be discovered. The terminology “lightlike” was established before any other massless particles were discovered. Once other massless particles were discovered it was shown that they also travel along lightlike geodesics, but by then the term “lightlike” was well established.
An alternative term with the same meaning as “lightlike” is “null”. If you prefer then you can always use “null” and just understand that people saying “lightlike” mean the same thing.
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
$endgroup$
My confusion is about why just light like particles? there are many other particles at quantum level.
You are correct. The terminology is historical in nature. Light was the first massless particle to be discovered. The terminology “lightlike” was established before any other massless particles were discovered. Once other massless particles were discovered it was shown that they also travel along lightlike geodesics, but by then the term “lightlike” was well established.
An alternative term with the same meaning as “lightlike” is “null”. If you prefer then you can always use “null” and just understand that people saying “lightlike” mean the same thing.
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
answered 20 hours ago
DaleDale
6,6151829
6,6151829
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Only particles with zero mass can travel between two events which are separated by a light-like distance. The trajectory is called light-like because photons (light) are massless, and historically the first example of a massless particle, as well as the only example in the 1910's. There are other massless particles, like gluons which would also be able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance.
The reason why only massless particles are able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance is that it requires you to travel at exactly the speed of light. You can see this by considering the equation $t^2-x^2=0$, this means that $x=pm t$. These equations are with the units such that the speed of light $c=1$. Thus the particle taking this trajectory is travelling at the speed of light.
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Only particles with zero mass can travel between two events which are separated by a light-like distance. The trajectory is called light-like because photons (light) are massless, and historically the first example of a massless particle, as well as the only example in the 1910's. There are other massless particles, like gluons which would also be able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance.
The reason why only massless particles are able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance is that it requires you to travel at exactly the speed of light. You can see this by considering the equation $t^2-x^2=0$, this means that $x=pm t$. These equations are with the units such that the speed of light $c=1$. Thus the particle taking this trajectory is travelling at the speed of light.
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Only particles with zero mass can travel between two events which are separated by a light-like distance. The trajectory is called light-like because photons (light) are massless, and historically the first example of a massless particle, as well as the only example in the 1910's. There are other massless particles, like gluons which would also be able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance.
The reason why only massless particles are able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance is that it requires you to travel at exactly the speed of light. You can see this by considering the equation $t^2-x^2=0$, this means that $x=pm t$. These equations are with the units such that the speed of light $c=1$. Thus the particle taking this trajectory is travelling at the speed of light.
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
$endgroup$
Only particles with zero mass can travel between two events which are separated by a light-like distance. The trajectory is called light-like because photons (light) are massless, and historically the first example of a massless particle, as well as the only example in the 1910's. There are other massless particles, like gluons which would also be able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance.
The reason why only massless particles are able to travel between two events separated by a light-like distance is that it requires you to travel at exactly the speed of light. You can see this by considering the equation $t^2-x^2=0$, this means that $x=pm t$. These equations are with the units such that the speed of light $c=1$. Thus the particle taking this trajectory is travelling at the speed of light.
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
answered 20 hours ago
LucashWindowWasherLucashWindowWasher
32312
32312
add a comment |
add a comment |
sk9298 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
sk9298 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
sk9298 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
sk9298 is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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$begingroup$
In the future, please use MathJax, not HTML markup, to display math. Thanks.
$endgroup$
– G. Smith
18 hours ago