Physics Using Geometric Algebra/Relativistic Classical Mechanics/The classical spinor

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The proper velocity can be expressed in terms of the associated Lorentz transformation spinor called eigenspinor.

The proper time derivative of the eigenspinor can be expressed in terms of the spacetime rotation biparavector Ω as

dΛdτ=12ΩΛ

The spacetime rotation biparavector contains the information of the interaction that the particle is subject to.

The dynamics of a classical particle can be expressed in terms of a differential equation involving the eigenspinor.

dpdτ=mcddτ(ΛΛ)=mc(dΛdτΛ+ΛdΛdτ),

using the definition of the spacetime rotation biparavector

mc12(ΩΛΛ+ΛΛΩ)=mcΛΩ,

that finally gives the dynamic equation

dpdτ=mcΩΛ,

where the role of the force is now played by the spacetime rotation biparavector.

Once the spacetime rotation is identified with the electromagnetic force, the result is the spinorial form of the Lorentz force.

dΛdτ=e2mcFΛ

Constant Electric Field

The eigenspinor form of the Lorentz force can be solved analytically in many interesting cases. One of the simplest is the case of the constant electric field. If the electric field is directed along the z direction, the equation to solve is

dΛdτ=e2mcE๐ž3Λ

and the solution is

Λ=ee2mcE๐ž3τΛ0.

The proper velocity is calculated as

u=ee2mcE๐ž3τu0ee2mcE๐ž3τ.

If the particle starts at rest, the proper velocity is simply

u=eemcE๐ž3τ.

An additional integration gives the spacetime position

x=x0+mc2eE๐ž3(eemcE๐ž3τ1)

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