Lorentz-invariant phase-space measure 2026-10-05
The on-shell measure is Lorentz invariant. The product measure together with the four-dimensional Dirac delta distribution enforces four-momentum conservation. For equal masses in two-body scattering, .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ia Paper 4 9A b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Let and be the incoming and proton momenta. The other incoming atom is at rest, so its total energy is . By four-momentum conservation, the tritium atom hasThe specified perpendicular emission gives . Therefore the relativistic energy-momentum relation impliesDividing by givesHere are total energies, not just kinetic energies. This identity is conditional on the collision admitting the stated emission: the calculated energies must satisfy the positive-energy mass-shell conditions, in particular and . No nonrelativistic approximation has been used.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 ia Paper 4 10A b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Four-momentum conservation gives , while the mass-shell condition gives . ThereforeIn the parent rest frame, , and each relativistic energy obeys . Thus