Spacetime diagrams

Nature of science:

Visualization of models: The visualization of the description of events in terms of spacetime diagrams is an enormous advance in understanding the concept of spacetime. (1.10)

• Spacetime diagrams
• Worldlines
• The twin paradox

Applications and skills:

• Representing events on a spacetime diagram as points
• Representing the positions of a moving particle on a spacetime diagram by a curve (the worldline)
• Representing more than one inertial reference frame on the same spacetime diagram
• Determining the angle between a worldline for specific speed and the time axis on a spacetime diagram
• Solving problems on simultaneity and kinematics using spacetime diagrams
• Representing time dilation and length contraction on spacetime diagrams
• Describing the twin paradox
• Resolving of the twin paradox through spacetime diagrams

• Can paradoxes be solved by reason alone, or do they require the utilization of other ways of knowing?

Aims:

• Aim 4: spacetime diagrams allow one to analyse problems in relativity more reliably

• Examination questions will refer to spacetime diagrams; these are also known as Minkowski diagrams
• Quantitative questions involving spacetime diagrams will be limited to constant velocity
• Spacetime diagrams can have t or ct on the vertical axis
• Examination questions may use units in which c = 1

Data booklet reference: