Past exam of the symmetry and relativity course of the University of Oxford / 2017 / 2 / a

For a vacuum electromagnetic wave, the four-wavevector is $K^{\mu }=(\omega /c,\mathbf{k})$ with $|\mathbf{k}|=\omega /c$ and $K^2=0$. Its phase can be writtenBecause $K$ and $X$ transform as Lorentz four-vectors, their contraction is a Lorentz scalar. This proves phase invariance, with the same phase convention in both frames.

For a hypothetical free emission $e\to e+\gamma$, four-momentum conservation gives $P=P^{\prime }+Q$. The initial and final electrons have $P^2=P^{\prime 2}=m_e^2{c}^2$, and $Q^2=0$. Squaring gives $P^{\prime }\cdot Q=0$. In the final electron's rest frame, however, $P^{\prime }\cdot Q=m_e{E}_{\gamma }>0$ for a nonzero future-directed photon. ThusAn external field, another body or a medium can exchange momentum and change this conclusion; those are different systems.