Naslov
How (not) to teach Lorentz covariance of the Dirac equation

Autori
Nikolić, Hrvoje

Izvornik
European journal of physics (0143-0807) 35 (2014); 035003-1

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Dirac equation; Lorentz covariance; scalar wave function

Sažetak
In the textbook proofs of the Lorentz covariance of the Dirac equation, one treats the wave function as a spinor and gamma matrices as scalars, leading to a quite complicated formalism with several pedagogic drawbacks. As an alternative, I propose to teach the Dirac equation and its Lorentz covariance by using a much simpler, but physically equivalent formalism, in which these drawbacks do not appear. In this alternative formalism, the wave function transforms as a scalar and gamma matrices as components of a vector, such that the standard physically relevant bilinear combinations do not change their transformation properties. The alternative formalism allows also a natural construction of some additional non-standard bilinear combinations with well-defined transformation properties.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Fizika

POVEZANOST RADA