Relativity · undergrad

Minkowski Interval

The invariant spacetime distance preserved by Lorentz transformations.

Published Apr 26, 2026 · 1 min

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Definition

With signature $(-,+,+,+)$ ,

ds^2 = -c^2dt^2 + dx^2 + dy^2 + dz^2.

All inertial observers agree on $ds^2$ , even though they disagree on separate time and space intervals.

A structured path through Lorentz symmetry, intervals, and proper time.

The symmetry of spacetime itself, derived from the constancy of the speed of light.

The time measured by a clock moving along a worldline.