Re: A question on inelastic relativistic collisions

["L. R. Cartwright (Larry)" <physics@SCNC.CPS.K12.MI.US>]

Up to now, the ex-engineer country bumpkin physics teacher was following
this thread with reasonable success.  David's remark about internal energy
and mass gave him a jolt, but he recovered.  Now Sam's latest find has
Larry puzzled again.  Here's the problem:

I thought it was pretty well established that T is directly proportional
to Q by the relationship T = KQ/m where K is some constant determined by
the physical composition of the substance under consideration.  Given that
m is going to take a relativistic hit (m = m_o / gamma), I do not see how
both T and Q can be dilated by a factor of gamma.  It seems to me
that something besides K is going to have to remain constant,
and if T = gamma * T_o then it is not possible for Q = gamma * Q_o
and also m = m_o / gamma.

I want to be able to pass along as much of this thread as possible to my
students.  Can someone please help me see where I am screwing this up?

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright
Physics, Physical Science, Internet Teacher
Charlotte High School, 378 State Street, Charlotte MI 48813
<physics@scnc.cps.k12.mi.us> or <science@scnc.cps.k12.mi.us>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Sat, 20 Feb 1999, Samuel Held wrote:

> Ed,
>         I finally found my paper from undergrad and I think some of this
> will answer your question.  According to H. Ott, S = S_o where _o
> indicates rest frame.  Then both heat and temp receive a Lorentz boost,
> Q = gamma * Q_o and T = gamma * T_o where gamma is the normal
> sqrt(1-(v^2/c^2)).  I can references later if people want, but the work
> dates back to the 50's and 60's.  I can even try to scan the paper for
> people.  However, some of it is pretty complicated tensor equations that
> do not give me an intuitive feel for the material.
>
>
> Sam Held