Special relativity in terms of Lie groups

Abstract

The special theory of relativity is constructed demanding the retention of the rectilinear form of a trajectory and invariance of the wave equation under linear transformations of space and time coordinates. The usual approach to relativity based on manipulations with the impulse of light is shown to be owing to that the symmetry of the particular solution of the wave equation coincides with the symmetry of the very wave equation. Thereof instead of the equation in partial derivatives we may deal with the algebraic form referred to as the interval.