Preparation for the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO): Relativity

The IPhO Syllabus includes:

• 2.5 Relativity: Principle of relativity and Lorentz transformations for the time and spatial coordinate, and for the energy and momentum; mass-energy equivalence; invariance of the spacetime interval and of the rest mass. Addition of par­allel velocities; time dilation; length contraction; relativ­ity of simultaneity; energy and momentum of photons and relativistic Doppler effect; relativistic equation of motion; conservation of energy and momentum for elas­tic and non-elastic interaction of particles.

Members of the Spanish National Team can download the notes here:

• Introducción a la relatividad especial

To know more:

• Taller de Relatividad para estudiantes de bachillerato.

Some cognitive conflicts involving Relativity:

• Cognitive Dissonances: Relativity

It is also useful to follow the IPhO's Study Guide by Siim Ainsaar:

• A Glimpse into the Special Theory of Relativity

Here you can find the solutions to some of the problems:

• [IPho2006Theory2] Problem Solution
• [IPhO2003Theory3] Problem Solution
• [IPhO1994Theory1] Problem Solution

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