A Note on Relativity Before Einstein
Macrossan, Michael N. (1986) A Note on Relativity Before Einstein. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 37:232-234.
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Abstract
A [1983] review, 'Relativity before Einstein' made no mention of the work of Joseph Larmor, whose early derivation of the Lorentz transformation seems to be less well known than those of Lorentz and Poincare. In 1897, Larmor, starting from a first-order transformation similar to Lorentz's first order version, presented the correct form of what is now known as the Lorentz transformation. In his presentation of the theory in 1900 Larmor saw the time dilation effect as a consequence of Maxwell's electromagnetic theory.
It was Lorentz who, in 1895, introduced the notion of the relativity of simultaneity (local time), without the time dilation effect. Poincare in 1900 discussed how Lorentz's local time would arise from the procedure of synchronizing moving clocks by exchanging light signals assumed to travel at the same speed in either direction. Lorentz presented the correct version of the transformation in 1899, and discussed the variation of mass with velocity arising from it. In 1902 Lorentz was aware of Larmor's 1897 work but apparently missed its significance. Nevertheless, the credit for the first presentation of the Lorentz transformation including the crucial time dilation belongs to Larmor.
| EPrint Type: | Journal (Paginated) |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Lorentz transformation; history; time dilation; length contraction; origin of special relativity; pre-Einstein |
| Subjects: | 240000 Physical Sciences: 240500 Classical Physics: 240504 Electrostatics and Electrodynamics 370000 Studies in Human Society: 370600 History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine: 370601 History and Philosophy of Science and Technology |
| ID Code: | 2307 |
| Deposited By: | Macrossan, Michael N |
| Deposited On: | 13 May 2005 |