Projectiles, pendula, and special relativity
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
2009-11-11 v1
Abstract
The kind of flat-earth gravity used in introductory physics appears in an accelerated reference system in special relativity. From this viewpoint, we work out the special relativistic description of a ballistic projectile and a simple pendulum, two examples of simple motion driven by earth-surface gravity. The analysis uses only the basic mathematical tools of special relativity typical of a first-year university course.
Cite
@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0501023,
title = {Projectiles, pendula, and special relativity},
author = {Richard H. Price},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0501023},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
9 pages, 5 figures; to appear in American Journal of Physics