wrote in message

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.

Yes!
See http://users.telenet.be/vdmoortel/di...es/Lorentz.htm

Measuse slope of x'-axis w.r.t. x-axis. That gives you v.
Measure Ox' and Ot' (for instance in cm), multiply with
the calculated value
sqrt(1-v^2)/sqrt(1+v^2)
and you have the transformed coordinates x' and t'.
Verofy with the transformed values of the measured x and t.

See http://users.telenet.be/vdmoortel/di...es/Lorentz.png
and a somewhat interactive version
http://users.telenet.be/vdmoortel/di...es/Lorentz.htm
You can drag the point H around a bit, and also the 'top points'
of the t-axis and the t'axis.

Enjoy.
Dirk