Relativistic particle
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A relativistic particle is a particle moving with a speed close to the speed of light, such that effects of special relativity are important for the description of its behavior.
Massless particles (e.g., photons) are always moving at the speed of light, therefore they are always relativistic.
Massive particles are relativistic when their kinetic energy is comparable or greater than the energy mc2 corresponding to their rest mass. (This condition implies that their speed is close to the speed of light.) Such relativistic particles are generated in particle accelerators, and are naturally occurring in cosmic radiation. In astrophysics, jets of relativistic plasma are produced by the centers of active galaxies and quasars.
A charged relativistic particle crossing the interface of two media with different dielectric constants emits transition radiation. This is exploited in the transition radiation detectors of high-velocity particles.
[edit] See also
- Special relativity
- Relativistic wave equations
- Lorentz factor
- Relativistic mass
- Relativistic plasma
- Relativistic jet
- Relativistic beaming
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