2004/01/14 by Richard J. Cook · 1 citation
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Geophysics and Sensor Technology #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Physics #Frame of reference #Theory of relativity #Lorentz transformation #Reference frame #Observer (physics) #One-way speed of light #World line #Classical mechanics #Theoretical physics #Special relativity #General relativity #Test theories of special relativity #Principle of relativity #Spacetime #Coordinate time #Gravitational time dilation #Space time #Problem of time #Time dilation #Four-force #Introduction to the mathematics of general relativity #Frame (networking) #Numerical relativity #Quantum gravity #Quantum mechanics #Computer science
paper · doi:10.1119/1.1607338
openalex publication_date 2004/01/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
This paper comments on the physical meaning of the line element in general relativity. We emphasize that, generally speaking, physical spatial and temporal coordinates (those with direct metrical significance) exist only in the immediate neighborhood of a given observer, and that the physical coordinates in different reference frames are related by Lorentz transformations (as in special relativity) even though those frames are accelerating or exist in strong gravitational fields.