SPACE: relativity calculations (1 Viewer)

[Rahul]

when doing calculations for time dlation, mass dilation, etc, when you have to evaluate, v²/c². dont you just end up with k²? [read on for k]

v²
2²

if v=0.8c

(0.8c)²
..c²

(0.8)²(c)²
.....c²

=0.8²

this would only apply when v =kc. so it would be a nice thing to know at the back of your mind when doing calculations. you can show 'wroking', but dont need to mutiply k by c, square it and then divide by c². you can just write out k² after you have subbed in the values.

thoughts?

 

[-X-]

Yeh thats only used when they have given you the percentage of C and not the actual value.

edit:

this would only apply when v =kc.

- u got that.

 

[~TeLEpAtHeTiC~]

isnt this called gamma?
or si that the term for the calculated v2/c2 relationship?

 

[Rahul]

its the term for the calculations of v^2/c^2....gamma wtf?

 

[wogboy]

Yep this is always what I've done and it works a treat since the "c^2" cancels out.

NB: Gamma is used to represent the relativistic factor which is: 1 / sqrt(1 - ( v^2/c^2)) (note that gamma is always >=1)

 

[Rahul]

oh ok i know what you mean by gamma

 

[~TeLEpAtHeTiC~]

thats right... sweet