Galilean principle of relativity

In summary, Galilean relativity is the principle that all physical laws in frames that are related by a Galilean transformation have the same form. This is important because it allows for predictions to be made across different frames of reference.
  • #1
Wox
70
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A Galilean transformation consists of a rotation (in space), a boost (in space) and a translation (in space and time). This can be represented for homogeneous coordinates as

[tex]
\left[\begin{matrix}t'\\x'\\y'\\z'\\1\end{matrix}\right]=

\left[\begin{matrix}
1&0&0&0&t_{t}\\
u_{x}&R_{11}&R_{12}&R_{13}&t_{x}\\
u_{y}&R_{21}&R_{22}&R_{23}&t_{y}\\
u_{z}&R_{31}&R_{32}&R_{33}&t_{z}\\
0&0&0&0&1
\end{matrix}\right]

\cdot\left[\begin{matrix}t\\x\\y\\z\\1\end{matrix}\right]
[/tex]

To me there seem to be two principles of relativity in frames that are related by a Galilean transformation. The first says that all physical laws described in Galilean space-time have the same form in frames related by a Galilean transformation. Newton's second law of motion for example given by [itex]F=m.a[/itex] in one frame becomes [itex]F'=m.a'[/itex] in the second frame, while [itex]F[/itex] and [itex]F'[/itex] transform under a Galilean transformation.

The second says that all physical laws are the same in frames that are related by a Galilean transformation with [itex]R=id[/itex] (i.e. inertial frames of reference). Again Newton's second law of motion: [itex]F=F'[/itex] and [itex]a=a'[/itex].

Is this a correct understanding of Galilean relativity?
 
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  • #2
Actually I'm really having problems with the concept of Galilean relativity and I think it is because I don't understand Galilean spacetime properly. Consider a world line and its underlying spatial trajectory
[tex]
\bar{w}\colon \mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}^{4}\colon t \mapsto (t,\bar{x}(t))
[/tex]
[tex]
\bar{x}\colon \mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}^{3}\colon t \mapsto (x,y,z)
[/tex]
where [itex]\mathbb{R}^{3}[/itex] with the Euclidean structure and [itex]\mathbb{R}^{4}[/itex] with the Galilean structure. The acceleration of the world line is given by
[tex]
\bar{a}\colon \mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}^{4}\colon t\mapsto \frac{d^{2}\bar{w}}{dt^{2}}=(0,\frac{d^{2}\bar{x}}{dt^{2}})\equiv(0,\tilde{a}(t))
[/tex]
A force field is given by [itex]\bar{F}\colon \mathbb{R}^{4}\to \mathbb{R}^{3}[/itex] and it can be evaluated along a world line by using [itex]\bar{F}(\bar{w}(t))=m \tilde{a}(t)[/itex] When change frame using a Galilean transformation
[tex]
t=t'+t_{t}\quad\quad \bar{x}=t'\bar{u}+R\cdot\bar{x}'+\bar{t}_{\bar{x}}
[/tex]
we find that
[tex]
\tilde{a}(t)=R\cdot \tilde{a}'(t')\Leftrightarrow \bar{F}(\bar{w}(t))=m\tilde{a}(t)=m R\cdot \tilde{a}'(t')=R\cdot \bar{F}(\bar{w}'(t'))
[/tex]

So for inertial frames ([itex]R=id[/itex]) we find that [itex]\bar{F}(\bar{w}(t))=\bar{F}(\bar{w}'(t'))[/itex]. Is this then the second aspect of Galilean relativity? And what about the other aspect that states that laws have the same form after a Galilean transformation?

Both aspects of invariance are for example discussed here.
 
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FAQ: Galilean principle of relativity

What is the Galilean principle of relativity?

The Galilean principle of relativity is a concept in physics that states that the laws of motion are the same for all observers moving at a constant velocity relative to each other.

Who first proposed the Galilean principle of relativity?

The Galilean principle of relativity was first proposed by Italian scientist Galileo Galilei in the early 17th century.

How does the Galilean principle of relativity differ from the theory of special relativity?

The Galilean principle of relativity applies to situations where objects are moving at low speeds compared to the speed of light, while the theory of special relativity applies to all speeds, including those close to the speed of light.

What are some practical applications of the Galilean principle of relativity?

The Galilean principle of relativity is used in various fields, such as mechanics, astronomy, and engineering, to accurately describe the motion of objects and make predictions about their behavior.

Is the Galilean principle of relativity still relevant in modern physics?

While the Galilean principle of relativity is not applicable in all situations, it is still a fundamental concept in classical mechanics and serves as the basis for many other principles and theories in physics.

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