Minkowski space

Noun

Meaning

Minkowski space (plural Minkowski spaces)

(mathematics, physics) A four-dimensional real vector space equipped with an inner product of signature (−,+,+,+) or (+,−,−,−), in which special relativity is formulated

Source: en.wiktionary.org

Examples

Because it has no finite spatiotemporal extent, a single point of Minkowski space cannot be an occasion of experience, but is an abstraction from an infinite set of overlapping or contained occasions of experience, as explained in Process and Reality. Source: Internet

Certain types of world lines are called geodesics of the spacetime – straight lines in the case of Minkowski space and their closest equivalent in the curved spacetime of general relativity. Source: Internet

Note that this is violated for Minkowski space with a line removed, which can model a (flat) space-time with a point-like monopole on the the complement of the line. Source: Internet

It is also possible to associate a substantially similar notion of spinor to Minkowski space in which case the Lorentz transformations of special relativity play the role of rotations. Source: Internet

Consequently, we are now dealing with a curved generalization of Minkowski space. Source: Internet

In contrast, the Standard Model is not background independent, with Minkowski space enjoying a special status as the fixed background space-time. Source: Internet

Close letter words and terms

Minkowski metric Minkowski plane Minkowski separation theorem Minkowski spacetime minkowski sum Minkowski's question mark function