dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaEinstein's "Zur Elektrodynamik..." (1905) Revisited, with Some Consequences
| Authors | S. D. Agashe |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0601154 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0601154 |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10701-006-9055-y |
Abstract
Einstein, in his "Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Korper", gave a physical (operational) meaning to "time" of a remote event in describing "motion" by introducing the concept of "synchronous stationary clocks located at different places". But with regard to "place" in describing motion, he assumed without analysis the concept of a system of co-ordinates. In the present paper, we propose a way of giving physical (operational) meaning to the concepts of "place" and "co-ordinate system", and show how the observer can define both the place and time of a remote event. Following Einstein, we consider another system "in uniform motion of translation relatively to the former". Without assuming "the properties of homogeneity which we attribute to space and time", we show that the definitions of space and time in the two systems are linearly related. We deduce some novel consequences of our approach regarding faster-than-light observers and particles, "one-way" and "two-way" velocities of light, symmetry, the "group property" of inertial reference frames, length contraction and time dilatation, and the "twin paradox". Finally, we point out a flaw in Einstein's argument in the "Electrodynamical Part" of his paper and show that the Lorentz force formula and Einstein's formula for transformation of field quantities are mutually consistent. We show that for faster-than-light bodies, a simple modification of Planck's formula for mass suffices. (Except for the reference to Planck's formula, we restrict ourselves to Physics of 1905.)
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"abstract": "Einstein, in his \"Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Korper\", gave a physical\n(operational) meaning to \"time\" of a remote event in describing \"motion\" by\nintroducing the concept of \"synchronous stationary clocks located at different\nplaces\". But with regard to \"place\" in describing motion, he assumed without\nanalysis the concept of a system of co-ordinates. In the present paper, we\npropose a way of giving physical (operational) meaning to the concepts of\n\"place\" and \"co-ordinate system\", and show how the observer can define both the\nplace and time of a remote event. Following Einstein, we consider another\nsystem \"in uniform motion of translation relatively to the former\". Without\nassuming \"the properties of homogeneity which we attribute to space and time\",\nwe show that the definitions of space and time in the two systems are linearly\nrelated. We deduce some novel consequences of our approach regarding\nfaster-than-light observers and particles, \"one-way\" and \"two-way\" velocities\nof light, symmetry, the \"group property\" of inertial reference frames, length\ncontraction and time dilatation, and the \"twin paradox\". Finally, we point out\na flaw in Einstein\u0027s argument in the \"Electrodynamical Part\" of his paper and\nshow that the Lorentz force formula and Einstein\u0027s formula for transformation\nof field quantities are mutually consistent. We show that for faster-than-light\nbodies, a simple modification of Planck\u0027s formula for mass suffices. (Except\nfor the reference to Planck\u0027s formula, we restrict ourselves to Physics of\n1905.)",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0601154",
"authors": [
"S. D. Agashe"
],
"categories": [
"physics.hist-ph",
"physics.ed-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1007/s10701-006-9055-y",
"title": "Einstein\u0027s \"Zur Elektrodynamik...\" (1905) Revisited, with Some Consequences",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0601154"
},
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