- #1
sspitz
- 21
- 0
I'm trying to understand why the x-component of electric field is the same in the rest frame and the frame moving in the x direction. I thought I should just be able to write the force four vector in the rest frame and transform it. Symbols with arrows are four vectors.
[tex]
\vec{p}=\gamma(mv,mc)\\
\vec{f}=\frac{d\vec{p}}{d\tau}=\gamma(\frac{dp}{dt},\frac{dmc}{dt})
[/tex]
For the charge in its rest frame, just looking at the x-component
[tex]
\gamma=1\\
\vec{f}_{x}=\frac{dp_{x}}{dt}=qE_{x}
[/tex]
Now I transform to the frame moving with velocity v in the positive x direction
[tex]
\vec{f'}_{x}=\gamma'(qE_{x}-\frac{v}{c}\frac{dmc}{dt})
[/tex]
So, how does that prove that the x-component of x doesn't change? dmc/dt is not zero as far as I can tell.
[tex]
\vec{p}=\gamma(mv,mc)\\
\vec{f}=\frac{d\vec{p}}{d\tau}=\gamma(\frac{dp}{dt},\frac{dmc}{dt})
[/tex]
For the charge in its rest frame, just looking at the x-component
[tex]
\gamma=1\\
\vec{f}_{x}=\frac{dp_{x}}{dt}=qE_{x}
[/tex]
Now I transform to the frame moving with velocity v in the positive x direction
[tex]
\vec{f'}_{x}=\gamma'(qE_{x}-\frac{v}{c}\frac{dmc}{dt})
[/tex]
So, how does that prove that the x-component of x doesn't change? dmc/dt is not zero as far as I can tell.