- #1
maverick_starstrider
- 1,119
- 6
Hi,
I'm reading a book on SR/Field theories that simply posits the space-time interval and from that defines a Lorentz transform as any transformation which leaves the interval invariant. My question is how do we posit the space-time interval in this manner using only the postulates of special relativity. What does it represent (if we cannot invoke the concept of a Lorentz transform). What is its derivation? One normally goes the other way around by deriving the Lorentz transform and showing that the spacetime interval is an extension of a euclidian norm that is invariant under it.
I'm reading a book on SR/Field theories that simply posits the space-time interval and from that defines a Lorentz transform as any transformation which leaves the interval invariant. My question is how do we posit the space-time interval in this manner using only the postulates of special relativity. What does it represent (if we cannot invoke the concept of a Lorentz transform). What is its derivation? One normally goes the other way around by deriving the Lorentz transform and showing that the spacetime interval is an extension of a euclidian norm that is invariant under it.