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Lorentz factor
The Lorentz factor γ is the factor by which time, length, and mass change for an object that is moving.
Explanation
The dimensionless Lorentz factor is defined as
where
v Relative velocity between inertial reference frames c Speed of light
Alternative 1
The formula was originally described as
where
v Relative velocity between inertial reference frames c Speed of light
Alternative 2
The formula can also be written as
where
β Reduced speed
Alternative 3
The formula can also be written as
where
α Contraction factor, which is the inverse of γ
Alternative 4
The formula can also be written as
where
t Time τ Proper time
HistoryThe Dutch physicist Hendrik Lorentz (1853 - 1928) is known for the Lorentz transformations. |