Related papers: Inertial frames without the relativity principle: …
Ever since the work of von Ignatowsky circa 1910 it has been known (if not always widely appreciated) that the relativity principle, combined with the basic and fundamental physical assumptions of locality, linearity, and isotropy, leads…
The structure of the Lorentz transformations follows purely from the absence of privileged inertial reference frames and the group structure (closure under composition) of the transformations---two assumptions that are simple and physically…
Homogeneity of space and time, spatial isotropy, principle of relativity and the existence of a finite speed limit (or its variants) are commonly believed to be the only axioms required for developing the special theory of relativity…
Besides the defining space-time symmetries (homogeneity and isotropy) of inertial frames, the derivation of Lorentz transformation requires postulating the principle of relativity and the existence of a finite speed limit. In this article,…
In the derivation of Lorentz transformation, linear transformation between inertial frames is one of the most important steps. In teaching special relativity, we usually use the homogeneity and isotropy of spacetime to argue that the…
We present an elementary, symmetry-first derivation of the Lorentz transformation together with a methodological clarification of the linearity step. Starting from the Principle of Relativity, supplemented by spacetime homogeneity,…
Newtonian mechanics has the concept of an absolute inertial rest frame. Special relativity eliminates the absolute rest frame but continues to require the absolute inertial frame. General relativity solves this for gravity by requiring…
We derive rotation free Lorentz Transformation (LT) between two inertial reference frames without using the second postulate of Einstein, i.e., we do not assume the invariant speed of light (in vacuum) under LT. We find a general…
The possibility of a modification of special relativity with an invariant energy scale playing the role of a minimum energy is explored. Consistency with the equivalence of different inertial frames is obtained by an appropriate choice of a…
We give a critical analysis of the conceptual foundations of special relativity. We formulate a simple operational criterion for distinguishing between noninertial and inertial frames which is introduced prior to geometry. We associate the…
Following an early observation of Ignatowsky, we present a derivation of the transformation rules between inertial systems making no other assumptions than the existence of the latter, and show that generically these rules are characterized…
We show that the standard Lorentz transformations admit an invariant mass (length) scale, such as the Planck scale. In other words, the frame independence of such scale is built-in within those transformations, and one does not need to…
It is often assumed that the most general transformation between two inertial reference frames is affine linear in their Cartesian coordinates, an assumption which is however not true. We provide a complete derivation of the most general…
A new method of derivation of Lorentz Transformation (LT) is given based on both axioms of special relativity (SR) and physical intuitions. The essence of the transformation is established and the crucial role played by the presumptions is…
Several approaches to quantum gravity suggest violations of Lorentz symmetry as low-energy signatures. This article uses a concrete Lorentz-violating quantum field theory to study different inertial vacua. We show that they are unitarily…
After a review of the existing theory of non-inertial frames and mathematical observers in Minkowski space-time we give the explicit expression of a family of such frames obtained from the inertial ones by means of point-dependent Lorentz…
The standard argument for the Lorentz invariance of the thermodynamic entropy in equilibrium is based on the assumption that it is possible to perform an adiabatic transformation whose only outcome is to accelerate a macroscopic body,…
Electromagnetic quantities at a spacetime point have tensor Lorentz transformations between relatively-moving inertial frames. However, since the Lorentz transformation of time between inertial frames depends upon both the time and space…
The most general transformation connecting inertial frames is derived from rather general and simple assumptions, without the postulate of constancy of the speed of light in vacuo.
A free system, considered to be a comparison system, allows for the notion of objective existence and inertial frame. Transformations connecting inertial frames are shown to be either Lorentz or generalized Galilei.