Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Minkowski Spacetime: Systems of Units

In course

PHYS-427: Relativity and cosmology I

Introduce the students to general relativity and its classical tests. ...

Description

This lecture covers the fundamentals of Minkowski spacetime, including the concept of 4-vectors and intervals, as well as the main physical quantities and SI units. It also introduces Planck units and High Energy Physics (HEP) units, providing a comprehensive overview of the system of units used in physics.

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Physics

Physical quantities: Topics in physical quantities

Related concepts (32)

International System of Units

The International System of Units, internationally known by the abbreviation SI (for Système International), is the modern form of the metric system and the world's most widely used system of measurement. Established and maintained by the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM), it is the only system of measurement with an official status in nearly every country in the world, employed in science, technology, industry, and everyday commerce.

Centimetre–gram–second system of units

The centimetre–gram–second system of units (abbreviated CGS or cgs) is a variant of the metric system based on the centimetre as the unit of length, the gram as the unit of mass, and the second as the unit of time. All CGS mechanical units are unambiguously derived from these three base units, but there are several different ways in which the CGS system was extended to cover electromagnetism. The CGS system has been largely supplanted by the MKS system based on the metre, kilogram, and second, which was in turn extended and replaced by the International System of Units (SI).

System of units of measurement

A system of units of measurement, also known as a system of units or system of measurement, is a collection of units of measurement and rules relating them to each other. Systems of measurement have historically been important, regulated and defined for the purposes of science and commerce. Instances in use include the International System of Units or () (the modern form of the metric system), the British imperial system, and the United States customary system.

Imperial units

The imperial system of units, imperial system or imperial units (also known as British Imperial or Exchequer Standards of 1826) is the system of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act 1824 and continued to be developed through a series of Weights and Measures Acts and amendments. The imperial system developed from earlier English units as did the related but differing system of customary units of the United States. The imperial units replaced the Winchester Standards, which were in effect from 1588 to 1825.

Minkowski space

In mathematical physics, Minkowski space (or Minkowski spacetime) (mɪŋˈkɔːfski,_-ˈkɒf-) combines inertial space and time manifolds (x,y) with a non-inertial reference frame of space and time (x',t') into a four-dimensional model relating a position (inertial frame of reference) to the field (physics). A four-vector (x,y,z,t) consists of a coordinate axes such as a Euclidean space plus time. This may be used with the non-inertial frame to illustrate specifics of motion, but should not be confused with the spacetime model generally.

Related lectures (32)

Natural System of Units

Explores the natural system of units, emphasizing Newton and Maxwell theories in CGS units and their implications in quantum mechanics.

Overview of Particle Physics and Rutherford Scattering

Covers the constituents of matter, fundamental forces, the Standard Model, natural units, and particle interaction experiments.

Special and General Relativity

Introduces special and general relativity, Einstein equations, and gravitational dynamics.

Heat Pump Tutorial

Explains the steps to define a heat pump and thermal streams.

Lorentz-Minkowski Spacetime