Re: A Geometrical Proof of the Non-invariance of the Spacetime Interval

[Michael Burns-Kaurin <mburns-k@SPELMAN.EDU>]

David Rutherford wrote:

> In Special Relativity, the spatial coordinates assigned to an event are
> fixed at the position of its occurrence in each frame, for all times.
> The location of E1 is at x = 0 in F, for all times, and at x' = 0 in F',
> for all times. Unfortunately, x = 0 and x' = 0 do not coincide for t > 0
> and t' > 0.

True, but not important.  Your original post deals with the spacetime
interval between events.  The spacetime interval is specified by both
position and time.  To find the spacetime interval, you must use both the
position and time you specified for E1, that is, t=0 and x=0, and t'=0 and
x'=0.

Michael Burns-Kaurin
Spelman College