Bob wants to travel the galaxy.

The galaxy is big, and Bob knows that given enough proper time, the day will
come when he dies. So in order to see as much as possible before that happens, he arranges for his ship to
accelerate at a constant rate, g (the maximum acceleration he can bear.) The question is: How far from Earth
is Bob's rocket, as a function of time in the Earth frame?

To attack the problem, assume Bob's rocket has some velocity as a function of time, then try to find a differen-
tial equation for this velocity.

ü b = b(t)

To find the differential equation, analyze two events, separated by an infinitesimal time increment dt (in the
Earth frame). These two events could be, for example, molecule a of fuel is ejected from the rocket, and
molecule b of fuel is ejected a moment later.

At the first event, the speed of the rocket in the Earth frame is assumed to be b. Then the speed at the second
°
event, by taking a first-order Taylor series, is b + bdt. In the rocket frame, the velocity at event 1 is zero (by
definition of the rocket frame), but the rocket is accelerating, so its velocity at the second event is (by supposi-
tion) g*dt'.

ü Event 1 Event 2
†
Earth b b + dt b
Rocket 0 g dt¢

Now use the velocity addition law at Event 2. We have one expression for the velocity of the rocket at Event
2 in the Earth frame. We're going to search for another expression for that same velocity. Setting them equal,
we'll get the differential equation we need. The velocity of the (event 2) rocket in the (event 1) rocket frame is
g*dt'. Meanwhile, that frame is moving relative to the Earth frame at velocity b. The velocity addition law
gives:

b + g dt¢ †
ü vEarth frame = = b + dt b
bg dt¢ + 1

We'll need to convert the dt' to the unprimed frame using a Lorentz transformation.

ü dt = g Hdt - bdxL
¢

dx = bdt

dt¢ = gdt I1 - b2 M =
dt
g

Now plug this into the previous expression.

2 constant acceleration.nb

dt g
g
+b †
ü = b + dt b
dt bg
g
+1

Use a binomial expansion to first order on the left hand side. Also, throw out terms of order dt2 .

dt g bg dt g dt b2 dt g Hg dtL I1 - b2M dt g †
ü +b 1- =- + b+ = b+ = + b = b + dt b
g g g l g g3
g †
=b
g3
g dt = g3 db

This is the differential equation we sought. Integrating it we obtain the velocity as a function of time. To
begin, make some trig substitutions.

ü tanh q = b
q dq
db =
cosh2

This implies

ü cosh q = g
sinh q = gb

Plugging into the differential equation

 constant acceleration.nb 3

cosh3 q dq
ü g dt = = cosh q dq
cosh2 q

‡ g dt = ‡ cosh q dq = g t = sinh q = gb =
b

1 - b2

HgtL2 =
b2
1 - b2
I1 - b2 M HgtL2 = b2
HgtL2 = HgtL2 b2 + b2
HgtL2

HgtL2 + 1
2
b =

gt
b=
HgtL2 + 1

This gives the velocity of Bob's constantly-accelerating rocket as a function of time, observed in the Earth
frame. To get the displacement, just integrate.

HgtL2 + 1 - 1
ü x=
g

The minus one at the end came from applying the boundary condition x(0) = 0. Notice that for small g, a
binomial expansion gives just x = 1/2*g*t^2, as in Newtonian physics. To make a spacetime diagram (which
is plotted backwards compared to everything else in physics), we should solve this for t.

ü g Hx + 1 ê gL = HgtL2 + 1

Hg Hx + 1 ê gLL2 = HgtL2 + 1
HgtL2 = Hg Hx + 1 ê gLL2 - 1

Hg Hx + 1 ê gLL2 - 1
t=
g

By plotting this expression, we can get the spacetime diagram for Bob's ship. Letting g=1 (actually g=10^-16
would be realistic).
4 constant acceleration.nb

In[17]:= PlotB Hx + 1L2 − 1 , 8x, 0, .2<F

0.6

0.5

0.4

Out[17]=
0.3

0.2

0.1

0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20

To get the plot for a frame moving to the right relative to this one, so the ship is initially out in front and
coming in s (along with Earth), then stops just as it gets to the origin, then goes forward again, just plot this
same chart with its mirror image across the x - axis.

In[19]:= PlotB: Hx + 1L2 − 1 , − Hx + 1L2 − 1 >, 8x, 0, .4<F

1.0

0.5

Out[19]=
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

-0.5

-1.0

How much of a head start would you have to give Bob' s ship so that if you sent a light pulse chasing after it,
they would get asymptotically closer but never catch up?
Bob' s ship' s position is given by

gt2 + 1 - 1
ü x=
g

The light pulse' s position is given by

 constant acceleration.nb 5

ü xlp = t

So the difference is

gt2 + 1 - 1
ü -t
g

Which for large t becomes

1 1
ü t- -t =
g g

For a realistic g of 10 ^ −17 m−1 , Bob needs a head start of 1017 m,

or 10.6 lightyears. Because he is very rapidly near the speed of light,
this is the same as a 10.6 calendar year head start in the Earth frame.