Relativistic velocity addition law

derived from a machine gun analogy and time dilation only

Bernhard Rothenstein1 and Stefan Popescu2

1) Politehnica University of Timisoara, Physics Department,
Timisoara, Romania [email protected]
2) Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany [email protected]

Abstract. We consider a scenario that involves a machine gun, the bullets it fires and a
moving target, considered from the rest frame of the machine gun and from the rest frame
of the target respectively. Involving the special relativity via its two postulates and the
time dilation formula we derive the relativistic velocity addition law showing that it leads
to the Lorentz transformations for the space-time coordinates of the same event.

1. Deriving the relativistic velocity addition law without using the

Lorentz transformations

Many derivations of the relativistic addition law of parallel velocities

without use of the Lorentz Transformations (LT) are known.1,2,3,4,5 Some of
them are based on thought experiments that require knowledge of the time
dilation and the length contraction effects1,4,5. Other derivations involve the
Doppler Effect in the optic domain considered from three inertial reference
frames in relative motion.6 A few derivations simply involve only the
principle of constancy of the light velocity2. Such derivations are interesting
for the teaching of special relativity theory since the relativistic addition of
velocities leads directly to the LT.7
The derivation we propose is based on a machine gun - target
analogy8 of the acoustic Doppler Effect, considered from the rest frame of
the machine gun and from the rest frame of the target. This derivation
involves special relativity via the formula that accounts for the time dilation
effect which in turn is a direct consequence of the two relativistic postulates
as it is best shown by the thought experiment that involves two light clocks
in relative motion.9
The scenario we follow involves a stationary machine gun (MG) located at
the origin O of its rest frame I(XOY) and a target T located at x=x’=0 when
t=t’=0 and moving with constant velocity V in the positive direction of the
OX axis9. The machine gun fires successive bullets at constant time intervals
∆te = te − 0 measured as a difference between the readings of a clock C0
located in front of the MG, which by definition represents a proper time
interval. The bullets move with constant velocity U in the positive direction

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of the OX axis and hit the moving target T at constant time
intervals ∆tr = tr − 0 . The time interval ∆tr is measured as a difference
between the readings of a clock C located where the bullet hits the target and
the reading of clock C0 when the target is located in front of it. The clocks C
and C0 are synchronized in accordance with the procedure proposed by
Einstein. By definition tr represents a coordinate time interval.
a Y, Y' t=t'=0
MG, T
C0, C0'

O X, X'

b Y Y' t= te
U T t'= t'e
MG
C0 C0'

O O' X, X'
V⋅ ∆te

Y Y' t= tr
c
t'= t'r
MG T
C0 C0'

O O' X, X'
V⋅ ∆tr
Figure 1a. The machine gun MG and the target T are located at the same point in
space the clocks the clocks C0 and C0′ attached to them reading both a zero time.
Figure 1b. Position of the target T when the machine gun fires a bullet.
Figure 1c. Position of the target T when the bullet hits it.

Equating the distance traveled by the second fired bullet with the
distance traveled by the target between the reception of the second and of the
first bullet, we obtain (U<V)

2
 Vtr = U (tr − te ) (1)
from which we obtain
te
tr = . (2)
V
1−
U
which holds for the corresponding time intervals ∆te and ∆tr respectively.
Let C0′ be a clock attached to the target. It reads t’=0 when it is located in
front of the machine gun but reading tr′ when the second hits it, where by
definition ∆ tr′ =( tr′ -0) represents a proper time interval related to ∆tr by the
time dilation formula
∆tr′
∆t r = (3)
V2
1− 2
c
With (2) and reformatting (3) we obtain
V2
1−
∆tr′ = ∆te c2 . (4)
V
1−
U
which relates the proper time interval ∆te at which the machine gun fires
successive bullets measured in its rest frame and the proper time interval ∆ tr′
at which the successive bullets hit the target measured in its rest frame.

Let I’(X’O’Y’) be the rest frame of the target. There the machine gun
moves with velocity V in the negative direction of the axes O’X’, whereas
the bullets move with velocity U’ in the positive direction. We equate in this
case the distance traveled by the machine gun in the time interval ∆te and the
distance traveled by the bullet i.e.
Vte′ = U '(tr′ − te′ ) (5)
from which we obtain expressed as a function of time intervals
∆tr′
∆te′ = . (6)
V
1+
U′
In this case ∆ te′ represents a time interval measured as a difference between
the readings of a clock C’ of the reference frame I’ located where the bullet
is fired ( te′ ) and the reading t ′ = 0 of the clock C0′ attached to the target. The
two clocks mentioned above are synchronized in the reference frame I’
following the same synchronization procedure as in I. The clock commoving

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with the MG measures a proper time interval te between the emissions of
two successive bullets, which is related to te′ by the time dilation formula
te′
te = (7)
V2
1− 2
c
with which (6) becomes expressed as a function of time intervals
V2
1−
∆te = ∆tr′ c2 . (8)
V
1+
U′
Eliminating te and tr′ between (4) and (8) we obtain that the velocities of the
same bullet relative to I and respectively to I’ are related by
U ′ +V
U= (9)
U ′V
1+ 2
c
or by
U −V
U'= (10)
UV
1− 2
c
In this way we have derived the relativistic addition law of parallel velocities
without prior knowledge of the Lorentz transformations.

2. Lorentz transformations from the relativistic addition law of

velocities.
Consider the moving bullet from the stationary reference frame I of
the machine gun. After a given time of motion the bullet hits a target and
generates the event E(x=Ut,y=0,t=x/U) whereas, when detected from I’ it
generates the event E’(x’=U’t’,y’=0,t’=x’/U’). The motion of the bullet is
described in I by
x = Ut (11)
and in I’ by
x′ = U ′t ′ (12)
respecting the initial conditions (t=t’=0, x=x’=0). The scenario we follow
ensures the fact that the two events take place at the same point in space
when the clocks C(x=Ut,y=0) and C’(x’=U’t’,y’=0) located at that point
read t and respectively t’ or, as relativists would say, they represent the same
event.

Combining (11) and (12) we obtain

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 V
1+
x x′ U′
= (13)
t t ′ 1 + VU ′
c2
Equation (13) suggests considering that
V
x = f (V ) x′(1 + ) (14)
U′
and
VU ′
t = f (V )t ′(1 + ) (15)
c2
where f(V) represents an unknown function of the relative velocity but not
of the space-time coordinates of the events involved. This guess is based on
the logical evidence that the transformation equations (14) and (15) should
be linear, in order to transform the uniform motion of the bullet in one of the
reference frames into a uniform motion in the second frame. We obtain the
algebraic structure of f(V) by imposing the condition that for U’=0 (15)
accounts for the time dilation i.e.
1
f (V ) = (16)
V2
1− 2
c
and so (14) and (15) become
1+V /U ′ x′ + Vt ′
x = x′ = (17)
1−V / c 2 2
1 − V 2 / c2
1 + VU '/ c 2 t ′ + Vx′ / c 2
t = t′ = (18)
1 − V 2 / c2 1 − V 2 / c2
Thus we have derived the Lorentz transformations for the space time
coordinates of an event generated by the same bullet as detected from two
inertial reference frames in relative motion taking place at the same point in
space when the synchronized clocks of the two frames located at that point
read t and t’ respectively. Under such conditions relativists say that the
Lorentz transformation relates the space-time coordinates of the same event.

Conclusions
A simple and transparent scenario considered from two inertial
reference frames in relative motion and special relativity involved via its two
postulates and time dilation leads to the relativistic addition law of parallel
velocities which leads at its turn in a transparent way to the Lorentz
transformations for the space-time coordinates of the same event. We found
a direct and simple inference way that starts with the two relativistic

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postulates and proceeds via time dilation formula and the deduction of the
relativistic velocity addition law to finally reveal another deduction for the
Lorenz transformations.

References
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Margaret Stautberg Greenwood, “Relativistic addition of velocities using
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2
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3
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4
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5
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9
A.Shadowitz, Special Relativity, (W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia,
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