Variation of Mass with Velocity in Relativity

Derivation of variation of mass with velocity: Consider two systems of reference (frame of reference) $S$ and $S’$. The frame $S’$ is moving with constant velocity $v$ relative to frame $S$.

Let two bodies of masses $m_{1}$ and $m_{2}$ be traveling with velocities $u’$ and $-u’$ parallel to the x-axis in the system $S’$. Suppose the two bodies collide and after collision coalesce into one body.
Variation in Mass with Velocity
The principles of conservation of mass and of momentum also hold good in relativity same as in classical mechanics. So now apply the principle of conservation of momentum.

$m_{1}u_{1}+m_{2}u_{2}=\left ( m_{1}+m_{2} \right )v\qquad(1)$

Apply the law of addition of velocities, the velocities $u_{1}$ and $u_{1}$ in the system $S$ corresponding to $u’$ and $-u’$ in frame $S’$ are given by $\rightarrow$

$u_{1}= \frac{u'+v}{1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}}}\quad or \quad u_{2}= \frac{-u'+v}{1-\frac{u'v}{c^{2}}}\qquad(2)$

Now substitute the value of $u_{1}$ and $u_{1}$ in equation $(1)$

$ m_{1}\frac{u'+v}{\left ( 1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}} \right )}+m_{2}\frac{-u'+v}{\left ( 1-\frac{u'v}{c^{2}} \right )}=\left ( m_{1}+m_{2} \right )v $

$ m_{1}\left [ \frac{u'+v}{1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}}}-v \right ]=m_{2}\left [ v- \frac{-u'+v}{1-\frac{u'v}{c^{2}}} \right ]$

$ m_{1}\left [ \frac{u'+v-v-u'\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}}}{1+u'\frac{v}{c^{2}}} \right ]=m_{2}\left [ \frac{v-u'\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}}+u'-v}{1- u'\frac{v}{c^{2}}} \right ]$

$ \frac{m_{1}}{m_{2}}= \frac{\left ( 1+u'\frac{v}{c^{2}} \right )}{\left ( 1-u'\frac{v}{c^{2}} \right )}\qquad(3)$

From equation$(2)$

$u_{1}^{2} =\left ( \frac{u'+v}{1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}}} \right )^{2}$

$ 1-\frac{u_{1}^{2}}{c^{2}}=1- \frac{1}{c^{2}} \left ( \frac{u'+v}{1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}}} \right )^{2}$

$ 1-\frac{u_{1}^{2}}{c^{2}}= \frac{\left ( 1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}} \right )^{2}-\left ( \frac{u'+v}{c} \right )^{2}}{\left ( 1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}} \right )^{2}}$

$ 1-\frac{u_{1}^{2}}{c^{2}}= \frac{\left ( 1-\frac{u'^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )\left ( 1-\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )}{\left ( 1+\frac{u'v}{c{2}} \right )}$

$ \left ( 1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}} \right )^{2}=\frac{\left ( 1-\frac{u'^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )\left ( 1-\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )}{1-\frac{u_{1}^{2}}{c^{2}}}$

$ \left ( 1+\frac{u'v}{c^{2}} \right ) =\left [ \frac{\left ( 1-\frac{u'^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )\left ( 1-\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )}{1-\frac{u_{1}^{2}}{c^{2}}} \right ]^\frac{1}{2}\qquad(4)$

Similarly, square the velocity of $u_{2}$ and solve the as above, so

$\left ( 1-\frac{u'v}{c^{2}} \right ) =\left [ \frac{\left ( 1-\frac{u'^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )\left ( 1-\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )}{1-\frac{u_{2}^{2}}{c^{2}}} \right ]\qquad(5)$

Now substituting the values from equation $(4)$ and equation $(5)$ in equation $(3)$

$\frac{m_{1}}{m_{2}}=\frac{\left ( 1-\frac{u_{2}^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )^{\frac{1}{2}}}{\left ( 1-\frac{u_{1}^{2}}{c^{2}} \right )^{\frac{1}{2}}}$

If the body of mass $m_{2}$ is at rest i.e. $m_{2}=m_{0}$ so velocity of the body in frame-S will be zero. i.e. $u_{2}=0$

Where $m_{0}$ is the rest mass.

$m_{1}=\frac{m_{0}}{\left ( 1-\frac{u_{1}^{2}}{c_{2}} \right )^{\frac{1}{2}}}$

Let $ m_{1}=m$ and $u_{1}=v$ so above equation

$m=\frac{m_{0}}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^{2}}{c^{2}}}}$

This is the generalized formula of variation of mass with velocity.

Popular Posts

Study-Material













  • Classical world and Quantum world

  • Inadequacy of classical mechanics

  • Drawbacks of Old Quantum Theory

  • Bohr's Quantization Condition

  • Energy distribution spectrum of black body radiation

  • Energy distribution laws of black body radiation

  • The Compton Effect | Experiment Setup | Theory | Theoretical Expression | Limitation | Recoil Electron

  • Davisson and Germer's Experiment and Verification of the de-Broglie Relation

  • Significance of Compton's Effect

  • Assumptions of Planck’s Radiation Law

  • Derivation of Planck's Radiation Law

  • de-Broglie Concept of Matter wave

  • Definition and derivation of the phase velocity and group velocity of wave

  • Relation between group velocity and phase velocity ($V_{g}=V_{p}-\lambda \frac{dV_{p}}{d\lambda }$)

  • Group velocity is equal to particle velocity($V_{g}=v$)

  • Product of phase velocity and group velocity is equal to square of speed of light ($V_{p}.V_{g}=c^{2}$)

  • Heisenberg uncertainty principle

  • Generation of wave function for a free particle

  • Physical interpretation of the wave function

  • Derivation of time dependent Schrodinger wave equation

  • Derivation of time independent Schrodinger wave equation

  • Eigen Function, Eigen Values and Eigen Vectors

  • Postulate of wave mechanics or Quantum Mechanics

  • Quantum Mechanical Operators

  • Normalized and Orthogonal wave function

  • Particle in one dimensional box (Infinite Potential Well)

  • Minimum Energy Or Zero Point Energy of a Particle in an one dimensional potential box or Infinite Well

  • Normalization of the wave function of a particle in one dimension box or infinite potential well

  • Orthogonality of the wave functions of a particle in one dimension box or infinite potential well

  • Eigen value of the momentum of a particle in one dimension box or infinite potential well

  • Schrodinger's equation for the complex conjugate waves function

  • Probability Current Density for a free particle in Quantum Mechanics

  • Ehrenfest's Theorem and Derivation

  • Momentum wave function for a free particle

  • Wave function of a particle in free state

  • One dimensional Step Potential Barrier for a Particle

























  • Blog Archive