The beginnings of relativity

Nature of science:

Paradigm shift: The fundamental fact that the speed of light is constant for all inertial observers has far-reaching consequences about our understanding of space and time. Ideas about space and time that went unchallenged for more than 2,000 years were shown to be false. The extension of the principle of relativity to accelerated frames of reference leads to the revolutionary idea of general relativity that the mass and energy that spacetime contains determine the geometry of spacetime. (2.3)

• Reference frames
• Galilean relativity and Newton’s postulates concerning time and space
• Maxwell and the constancy of the speed of light
• Forces on a charge or current

Applications and skills:

• Using the Galilean transformation equations
• Determining whether a force on a charge or current is electric or magnetic in a given frame of reference
• Determining the nature of the fields observed by different observers

• When scientists claim a new direction in thinking requires a paradigm shift in how we observe the universe, how do we ensure their claims are valid?

Aims:

• Aim 3: this sub-topic is the cornerstone of developments that followed in relativity and modern physics

• Maxwell’s equations do not need to be described
• Qualitative treatment of electric and magnetic fields as measured by observers in relative motion. Examples will include a charge moving in a magnetic field or two charged particles moving with parallel velocities. Students will be asked to analyse these motions from the point of view of observers at rest with respect to the particles and observers at rest with respect to the magnetic field.

Data booklet reference: