An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics · Problem 4.2

The Interaction of Light and Matter — Carroll & Ostlie

Physics — Astrophysics · special-relativity-simultaneity

Problem

Because there is no such thing as absolute simultaneity, two observers in relative motion may disagree on which of two events AA and BB occurred first. Suppose, however, that an observer in reference frame SS measures that event AA occurred first and caused event BB. For example, event AA might be pushing a light switch, and event BB might be a light bulb turning on. Prove that an observer in another frame S′S' cannot measure event BB (the effect) occurring before event AA (the cause). The temporal order of cause and effect is preserved by the Lorentz transformation equations. Hint: For event AA to cause event BB, information must have traveled from AA to BB, and the fastest that anything can travel is the speed of light.

Related theory

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