Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-symmetry-and-relativity-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2016/1/c/solution
Past exam of the symmetry and relativity course of the University of Oxford 2016 1 c Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
The proper acceleration is , the magnitude of the instantaneous rest-frame three-acceleration. A pure force is a four-force preserving rest mass, or equivalently satisfying . Indeed gives .
For the right-hand branch of the hyperbola, use , and , taking . Direct differentiation givesThe sign of follows the sign of , whereas the coordinate acceleration on this branch is positive. ConsequentlyThe proper-time parameterization , independently gives constant proper acceleration. Restoring dimensions, a hyperbola has . Constant proper acceleration does not mean that all inertial-frame components of the four-force are constant.
New to topics? Read the docs here!