Lorentz transformation

American  

noun

Physics.

1. the mathematical transformation in the special theory of relativity that describes the way in which measurements of space, time, and other physical quantities differ for two observers in uniform relative motion.

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Lorentz transformation British  

noun

1. a set of equations relating the coordinates of space and time used by two hypothetical observers in uniform relative motion. According to the special theory of relativity the laws of physics are invariant under this transformation

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Lorentz transformation Scientific  

1. A linear map that expresses the time and space coordinates of one reference frame in terms of those of another one. Much like simple rotations, which leave the lengths of objects unchanged while transforming their coordinates, Lorentz transformations leave unchanged the expression c ² t ² − x ² − y ² − z ², where c is the speed of light, and the other variables are space-time coordinates.

2. ◆ A pure Lorentz transformation, a kind of boost, relates the reference frames of two inertial systems that are moving with a constant relative velocity.

3. ◆ General Lorentz transformations include pure Lorentz transformations as well as rotations of the spatial coordinate system.

4. See also invariance Special Relativity

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Etymology

Origin of Lorentz transformation

First recorded in 1905–10; named after H. A. Lorentz

Example Sentences

We send the light signal out, send it back again, and we construct the Lorentz transformation by what matter is doing.

From Scientific American

Those variables are then plugged into the Lorentz Transformation equations, which are used to determine the total amount of time dilation that occurs during your run.   

From Forbes

Four dimension vector . . direct from Lorentz transformation . . . sum of impulses before and after collision . . . relative to all systems of coordinates.

From Time Magazine Archive

First he showed how four-dimensional Relativistic equations were derived from ordinary three-dimensional equations by means of a mathematical bridge called a Lorentz transformation.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mathematically, we can characterise the generalised Lorentz transformation thus :

From Project Gutenberg