dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaQuaternions in University-Level Physics Considering Special Relativity
| Authors | Martin Erik Horn |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0308017 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0308017 |
| Journal | Tagungs-CD des Fachverbands Didaktik der Physik zur DPG-Fruehjahrstagung, Leipzig 2002, Beitrag 26.24 (in German), ISBN: 3-936427-11-9 |
Abstract
As an expansion of complex numbers, the quaternions show close relations to numerous physically fundamental concepts. In spite of that, the didactic potential provided by quaternion interrelationships in formulating physical laws are hardly regarded in the current physics curriculum. In particular, many approaches emerge that are useful in conveying the unity of seemingly distinct theories in a didactically convincing manner. This will be exemplified with the help of special relativity. The diverse examples of spatial and space-time rotations are merged into a didactic whole by introducing quaternion transformations and comparing them to the representation using rotation matrices common in physics books.
{
"annotation_id": "cbaef6a6-4f00-4c15-8cf0-e2c8a3b5b0dc",
"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:00:46.852000Z",
"date_modified": "2026-03-02T18:00:46.852000Z",
"file_hash": "f36e54b687b58227fc5087cb76d00579d730a1dd92aa3aae66ca34d862192175",
"private": false,
"record": {
"abstract": "As an expansion of complex numbers, the quaternions show close relations to\nnumerous physically fundamental concepts. In spite of that, the didactic\npotential provided by quaternion interrelationships in formulating physical\nlaws are hardly regarded in the current physics curriculum. In particular, many\napproaches emerge that are useful in conveying the unity of seemingly distinct\ntheories in a didactically convincing manner. This will be exemplified with the\nhelp of special relativity. The diverse examples of spatial and space-time\nrotations are merged into a didactic whole by introducing quaternion\ntransformations and comparing them to the representation using rotation\nmatrices common in physics books.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0308017",
"authors": [
"Martin Erik Horn"
],
"categories": [
"physics.ed-ph"
],
"journal_ref": "Tagungs-CD des Fachverbands Didaktik der Physik zur\n DPG-Fruehjahrstagung, Leipzig 2002, Beitrag 26.24 (in German), ISBN:\n 3-936427-11-9",
"title": "Quaternions in University-Level Physics Considering Special Relativity",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0308017"
},
"schema_id": "dorsal/arxiv",
"source": {
"execution_id": "4dcc5ea3-538d-4c0d-aa51-7cf4e1ee5c7c",
"id": "arXiv Dataset IDs",
"type": "Model",
"variant": "snapshot-2026-03-01",
"version": "0.1.0"
},
"user_id": 1000002
}