File:Light cone.svg

Summary

The interval AB in the diagram to the right is 'time-like'. I.e. there is a frame of reference in which event A and event B occur at the same location in space, separated only by occurring at different times. If A precedes B in that frame, then A precedes B in all frames. It is hypothetically possible for matter (or information) to travel from A to B, so there can be a causal relationship (with A the cause and B the effect).

The interval AC in the diagram is 'space-like'. I.e. there is a frame of reference in which event A and event C occur simultaneously, separated only in space. However there are also frames in which A precedes C (as shown) and frames in which C precedes A. Barring some way of traveling faster than light, it is not possible for any matter (or information) to travel from A to C or from C to A. Thus there is no causal connection between A and C.

Licensing

This work has been released into the public domain by its author, I, Sakurambo. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I, Sakurambo grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law. Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

This SVG file uses embedded text that can be easily translated into your language using this automated tool. Learn more. You can also download it and translate it manually using a text editor. العربية | беларуская (тарашкевіца)‎ | bosanski | català | česky | dansk | Deutsch | Ελληνικά | English | Esperanto | español | eesti | فارسی | suomi | français | galego | עברית | hrvatski | magyar | Հայերեն | italiano | 日本語 | ქართული | ភាសាខ្មែរ | 한국어 | lietuvių | македонски | മലയാളം | Bahasa Melayu | Plattdüütsch | Nederlands | norsk nynorsk | norsk bokmål | polski | português | русский | slovenščina | shqip | српски / srpski | svenska | ไทย | Türkçe | татарча/tatarça | українська | Tiếng Việt | Volapük | 中文 | 中文（简体）‎ | +/-

• General relativity
• Special relativity