On Mar 4, 4:23*pm, PD wrote:
On Mar 4, 6:08*am, "
wrote:

I'm not sure I know exactly how to use the Minkowski diagram. For
example, let's say you have a stationary observer and a moving
observer, and an event somewhere, for which the coordinates are x and
t in the stationary frame and x' and t' in the moving frame. How do
you get t', for example, from the Minkowski diagram?

Ram.

No, you can't. The temptation is to use a Minkowski diagram like a 2D
Euclidean geometry, which would allow you to do all sorts of Euclidean
geometrical constructions (with a compass and a straight edge) and
trigonometric relations. But the relationship between x and t in a
Minkowski diagram is NOT Euclidean, and you will quickly run into
problems if you try to apply Euclidean rules to it.

PD

Are you saying that I cannot get x' and t' from the Minkowski diagram?
Because the page at Wikipedia says that this is its purpose. And if I
can get x' and t' from it, how do I do it? I tried the method that
they say in Wikipedia, but it didn't come out like the Lorentz
transformation. What am I missing?

Ram.