- #1
lys04
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I am reading Purcell's Electricity and Magnetism and am getting confused on equation 5.22. It seems to me they are using relativistic velocity addition for u' which is u'=(u-v)/(1-uv/c^2), but aren't we solving for the velocity of the electrons in the test charge's frame of reference, so should be using the reverse transformation instead? i.e u=(u'+v)/(1+u'v/c^2)?
The only way this equation has the correct sign is if v=-v though, I guess this makes sense because if in the lab's frame the test charge is moving to the right with velocity v then in the test charge's frame of reference the lab is moving to the left with same speed?
The only way this equation has the correct sign is if v=-v though, I guess this makes sense because if in the lab's frame the test charge is moving to the right with velocity v then in the test charge's frame of reference the lab is moving to the left with same speed?