rapidity
Sign in to savethumb|upright=0.85|Rapidity is the value of for velocity and speed of light
Article
10 sectionsContents
- History
- Minkowski diagram
- Lorentz boost
- Velocity addition
- Hyperbolic functions
- Exponential and logarithmic relations
- Doppler effect
- In experimental particle physics
- See also
- Notes and references
thumb|upright=0.85|Rapidity is the value of for velocity and speed of light
In special relativity, the classical concept of velocity is converted to rapidity to accommodate the limit determined by the speed of light. Velocities must be combined by Einstein's velocity-addition formula. For low speeds, rapidity and velocity are almost exactly proportional but, for higher velocities, rapidity takes a larger value, with the rapidity of light being infinite.