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by Ciro Santilli (@cirosantilli, 37)

Spacetime interval

 ... Physics Particle physics Relativity Special relativity Relativistic mechanics Four-momentum
 0 By others on same topic  0 Discussions  Updated 2025-05-23  +Created 1970-01-01  See my version
In the Galilean transformation, there are two separate invariants that two inertial frame of reference always agree on between two separate events:
  • time
  • length, given by the Pythagorean theorem
However, in special relativity, neither of those are invariant separately, since space and time are mixed up together.
Instead, there is a new unified invariant: the spacetime-interval, given by:
cΔt2−(Δx2+Δy2+Δz2)
(1)
Note that this distance can be zero for two events separated.
  • Table of contents
    • Proper time Spacetime interval

Proper time

 0  0 
Spacetime interval

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  1. Four-momentum
  2. Relativistic mechanics
  3. Special relativity
  4. Relativity
  5. Particle physics
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  • Spacelike-separated event

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