o  Course homepage, Ongoing Lectures, TT-system 

• Instructor’s weekly informal sessions:

Tu 3:30-4:20, RAS 213 ; Fri 4-5, RLM 5.104

Lec. 39 Special theory of relativity (STR) -- I

o Nutshell difference between STR and the Newtonian mechanics: The Lorentz factor.

o Historical background leading to STR

· Principle of relativity.

· Galilean transformation.

· The Michaelson-Morley experiment.

o Basic postulates of the STR

· Time dilation: Moving clock ticks slower

o Lorentz transformation:

· Time dilation revisit.

· Moving muon lives longer (Proper life time: 2.2 x 10^-6s)

· Synchronization of clocks: (See also Question 3 of Sec. 36.l2, pq316, 317.)

Reminders:

• Read chapter 36, start working on HW14.
• Tomorrow will be the last Tuesday informal session of the semester. See time and place above.