Symmetry and Special Relativity

Abstract

We explore the role of symmetry in the theory of Special Relativity. Using the symmetry of the principle of relativity and eliminating the Galilean transformations, we obtain a universally preserved speed and an invariant metric, without assuming the constancy of the speed of light. We also obtain the spacetime transformations between inertial frames depending on this speed. From experimental evidence, this universally preserved speed is c, the speed of light, and the transformations are the usual Lorentz transformations. The ball of relativistically admissible velocities is a bounded symmetric domain with respect to the group of affine automorphisms. The generators of velocity addition lead to a relativistic dynamics equation. To obtain explicit solutions for the important case of the motion of a charged particle in constant, uniform, and perpendicular electric and magnetic fields, one can take advantage of an additional symmetry—the symmetric velocities. The corresponding bounded domain is symmetric with respect to the conformal maps. This leads to explicit analytic solutions for the motion of the charged particle.