AN INTRODUCTION TO SPACE-TIME DIAGRAMS

A purely geometrical approach to Minkowski space-time diagrams is desc ribed that exploits only the symmetries of appropriate rhombi and rect angles, No explicit use is made of rectangular or oblique coordinate a xes. Although designed for presenting the subject to nonscientists, th e approach might also be illuminating to some scientists. (C) 1997 Ame rican Association of Physics Teachers.