The Principle of Relativity

by Einstein, Albert; Davis, Francis A.

• ISBN13: 9780486600819
• ISBN10: 0486600815
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1952-06-01
• Publisher: Dover Publications

Summary

Here are the 11 papers that forged the general and special theories of relativity: seven papers by Einstein, plus two papers by Lorentz and one each by Minkowski and Weyl. "A thrill to read again the original papers by these giants." School Science and Mathematics.1923 edition.

Author Biography

In addition to conducting the research that culminated in his acclaimed theories of relativity, Albert Einstein (1879-1955) taught and lectured at universities around the world. Einstein received numerous awards and honorary doctorate degrees in science, medicine, and philosophy, and he remains a towering symbol of intellectual and imaginative achievement.

It's All Relative
Around 1950, Hayward Cirker, Founder and President of Dover Publications, wrote to Einstein and asked his approval to proceed with a Dover paperback reprint of the 1923 collection of original papers on relativity by Einstein himself and others (H. A. Lorentz, H. Weyl, and H. Minkowski), which had originally been published in England. Einstein was reluctant, wondering how much interest there could possibly be in this relic of his work from 30 or more years earlier. Cirker persisted, and Einstein finally agreed — the Dover edition of The Theory of Relativity has been in print ever since and has been followed by many other Dover books on relativity.

The papers reprinted in this original collection will always be for the serious student the cornerstone of their Einstein library: Michelson's Interference Experiment (H. A. Lorentz); Electromagnetic Phenomena in a System Moving with any Velocity Less Than That of Light (H.A. Lorentz); On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies (A. Einstein); Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon its Energy Content? (A. Einstein); Space and Time (H. Minkowksi with notes by A. Sommerfeld); On the Influence of Gravitation on the Propagation of Light (A. Einstein); and The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity (A. Einstein) found on pages 109–164 of this text; Hamilton's Principle and The General Theory of Relativity (A. Einstein); Cosmological Considerations on the General Theory of Relativity (A. Einstein); Do Gravitational Fields Play an Essential Part in the Structure of the Elementary Particles of Matter? (A. Einstein); and Gravitation and Electricity (H. Weyl).

In the Author's Own Words:
"How can it be that mathematics, being after all a product of human thought independent of experience, is so admirably adapted to the objects of reality?"

"What nature demands from us is not a quantum theory or a wave theory; rather, nature demands from us a synthesis of these two views which thus far has exceeded the mental powers of physicists."

"Do not be troubled by your difficulties with Mathematics, I can assure you mine are much greater." — Albert Einstein

Critical Acclaim for The Theory of Relativity:
"This book constitutes an indispensable part of a library on relativity." — Nature

Table of Contents

Michelson's Interference Experiment	p. 1
The experiment
The contraction hypothesis
The contraction in relation to molecular forces
Electromagnetic Phenomena in a System Moving with any Velocity less than that of Light	p. 9
Experimental evidence
Poincare's criticism of the contraction hypothesis
Maxwell's equations for moving axes
The modified vectors
Retarded potentials
Electrostatic fields
A polarized particle
Corresponding states
Momentum of an electron
The influence of the earth's motion on optical phenomena
Applications
Molecular motions
Kaufmann's experiments
On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies	p. 35
Kinematical Part
Definition of simultaneity
On the relativity of lengths and times
The transformation of co-ordinates and times
Physical meaning of the equations
The composition of velocities
Electrodynamical Part
Transformation of the Maxwell-Hertz equations
Doppler's principle and aberration
The energy of light rays and the pressure of radiation
Transformation of the equations with convection currents
Dynamics of the slowly accelerated electron
Does the Inertia of a body depend upon its energy-content?	p. 67
Space and Time	p. 73
The invariance of the Newtonian equations and its representation in four dimensional space
The world-postulate
The representation of motion in the continuum
The new mechanics
The motion of one and two electrons
Notes on this paper	p. 92
On the Influence of Gravitation on the Propagation of Light	p. 97
The physical nature of gravitation
The gravitation of energy
The velocity of light
Bending of light-rays
The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity	p. 109
Fundamental Considerations on the Postulate of Relativity
Observations on the special theory
The need for an extension of the postulate of relativity
The space-time continuum; general co-variance
Measurement in Space and Time
Mathematical Aids to the Formulation of generally Covariant Equations
Contravariant and covariant four-vectors
Tensors of the second and higher ranks
Multiplication of tensors
The fundamental tensor g[subscript mu nu]
The equation of the geodetic line
The formation of tensors by differentiation
Some cases of special importance
The Riemann-Christoffel tensor
Theory of the Gravitational Field
Equations of motion of a material point
The field equations of gravitation in the absence of matter
The Hamiltonian function for the gravitational field. Laws of momentum and energy
The general form of the field equations
The laws of conservation
The laws of momentum and energy
Material Phenomena
Euler's equations for a fluid
Maxwell's equations for free space
Applications of the Theory
Newton's theory as a first approximation
Behaviour of rods and clocks in a static gravitational field. Bending of light rays. Motion of the perihelion of a planetary orbit
Hamilton's Principle and the General Theory of Relativity	p. 165
The principle of variation and the field-equations
Separate existence of the gravitational field
Properties of the field equations conditioned by the theory of invariants
Cosmological Considerations on the General Theory of Relativity	p. 175
The Newtonian theory
The boundary conditions according to the general theory of relativity
The spatially finite universe
On an additional term for the field equations of gravitation
Calculation and result
Do Gravitational Fields Play an Essential Part in the Structure of the Elementary Particles of Matter?	p. 189
Defects of the present view
The field equations freed of scalars
On the cosmological question
Concluding remarks
Gravitation and Electricity	p. 200
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