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This article is from the Relativity and FTL Travel FAQ, by Jason W. Hinson jason@physicsguy.com with numerous contributions by others.

2.1 What are Space-Time Diagrams?

In the previous section we talked about the major consequences of
special relativity, but now I want to concentrate more specifically on how
relativity causes a transformation of space and time. Relativity causes a
little more than can be understood by simple notions of length contraction
and time dilation. It actually results in two different observers having two
different space-time coordinate systems. The coordinates transform from one
frame to the other through what is known as a Lorentz Transformation.
Without getting deep into the math, much can be understood about such
transforms by considering space-time diagrams.

 

Continue to:

• prev: 2. Space-Time Diagrams
• Index
• next: 2.2 Time as Another Dimension (Space-Time Diagrams)

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