Lorentz Transformations – Obtaining Lorentz Transformations in Hyperbola Geometry

reference framesspecial-relativity

In Tevian Dray's book The Geometry of Special Relativity, 1st edition, page 27, he writes:

5.3 Lorentz Transformations

We now relate Lorentz transformations, based on the physical postulates of special relativity, to hyperbola geometry. The Lorentz transformation between a frame $(x,t)$ at rest and a frame $(x',t')$ moving to the right at speed $v$ was derive in Chapter 2. The transformation from the moving frame to the rest frame is given by
\begin{align}
x &= \gamma (x' + v t'), \tag{5.1} \\
t &= \gamma \left(t' + \frac{v}{c^2} x'\right), \tag{5.2}
\end{align}

where, as before,
$$\gamma = \frac{1}{1 – \frac{v^2}{c^2}}. \tag{5.3}$$
The key to converting this description to hyperbola geometry is to measure space and time in the same units by replacing $t$ by $ct$. The transformation from the moving frame, which we now denote by $(x',ct')$, to the frame at rest, now denoted $(x,ct)$, is given by
\begin{align}
x &= \gamma \left(x' + \frac{v}{c} ct'\right), \tag{5.4} \\
ct &= \gamma \left(ct' + \frac{v}{c} x'\right), \tag{5.5}
\end{align}

which makes the symmetry between these equations much more obvious.

I understand that he obtained 5.4 from 5.1 by changing $t'$ to $ct'$ and $v$ to $v/c$. But by substituting $v$ for $v/c$ in 5.2, wouldn't I obtain $(v/c^3)x'$ in 5.5? I'm sure I'm missing something very obvious and would appreciate some help.

Best Answer

You don't need to redefine variables. It is just a matter of doing nothing with Eq. (5.1) and multiplying Eq. (5.2) by $c$. Notice that $$vt' = \frac{v}{c} c t',$$ by pure algebra. Hence, Eq. (5.1) leads us to \begin{align} x &= \gamma (x' + v t'), \tag{5.1} \\ &= \gamma \left(x' + \frac{v}{c} ct'\right), \tag{5.4} \end{align}

Now, if we multiply Eq. (5.2) by $c$ we get \begin{align} t &= \gamma \left(t' + \frac{v}{c^2} x'\right), \tag{5.2} \\ ct &= \gamma \left(ct' + \frac{v}{c} x'\right). \tag{5.5} \end{align}

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