Spacetime Minkowski Diagram Tool

This is an interactive tool for accessing the Minkowski Space-Time diagram. It runs using Geogebra, meaning you can interact with is using the mouse to click and drap points around.

You can access the online (most up-to-date) version here:

The main features, currently:

• a slider bar controlling the β value. This is the speed of the moving observer as a fraction of the speed of light: v/c. Drag the slider with the mouse and you will see how the Spacetime Axes change for the moving observer

• The γ value corresponding to the β is calculated instantaneously.

• Show/Hide Toggles for:
  Labels Space-like and Time-like
  Events Coordinate points P and Q which can be read on the axes for the stationary observer and the moving observer
  Spacetime Interval Shows the calculation and value of the spacetime interval from the perspective of both observers. Would you believe it? They are the same!

Ideas for using in the classroom:
I found it useful for teaching this topic (on the IB Physics Course), in particular:

• quickly calculating γ - for checking answers
• showing how the axes are distorted for a moving observer, and how the distortion increases with the speed
• for reading off the coordinates of the event points using both sets of coordinate axes, and using this to confirm the values obtained from the Lorentz Transformation formulae
• demonstration of the space-time interval giving the same value for both observers
• quick calculation of the interval using click and drag - for checking answers.
• for explaining concepts of simultaneity, in terms of observation events

I’d love to hear your ideas for other ways this can be used, adapted and improved. Please get in touch with me with your ideas. At some point, I will write this up on my blog, so that is probably the easiest way to send me your ideas.