HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION Einstein's first paper on the restricted 'Theory of Relativity', originally published in the 'Annalen der Physik' in l905. Translated from the original German Papers by Dr. Meghnad Saha Lord Kelvin writing-in 1893, in his prefaceto the English edition of Hertz's Researches on Electric Waves, says" many workers and many thinkers have helped to build up the nineteenth century school of plenum, one ether for light, heat, electricity, magnetism; and the German and English volumes containing Hertz's electrical papers, given to the world in the last decade of the century, will be a permanent monument of the splendid consummation now realised." Ten years later,in 1905, we find Einstein declaring that " the ether will be proved to be superflous." At first sight the revolution in scientific thought brought about in the course of a single decade appears to be almost too violent. A more careful even though a rapid review of the subject will, however, show how the Theory of Relativity gradually became a historical necessity. Towards the beginning of the nineteenth century, the luminiferous ether came into prominence as a result of the brilliant successes of the wave theory in the hands of Young and Fresnel. In its stationary aspect the elastic solid ether was the outcome of the search for a medium in which the lightwaves may "undulate." This stationary ether, as shown by Young, also afforded a satisfactory explanation of astronomical aberration. But its very success gave rise to a host of new questionsall bearing on the central problem of relative motion of ether and matter. On the other hand, the negativeevidences in favour of the convection-coefficient had also multiplied. Mascart, Hoek, Maxwell and others sought for definite changesin different opticaleffects induced by the motion of the earth relative to the stationaryether. But all such attempts failed to reveal the slightesttrace of any optical disturbance due to the "absolute" velocityof the earthy, thus proving conclusivelythat all tne different optical effects shared in the general compensation arising out of the Fresnelian convection of the excess ether. It must be carefullynoted that the Fresnelian convection –coefficient implicitlasysumes the existence of a fixed ether (Fresnelo)r at least a wholly stagnant medium at sufficiently distant regions (Stokes),with reference to which alone a convection velocitycan have any significance.Thus the convection coefficient implying some type of a stationary or viscous, yet nevertheless "absolute" ether, succeeded in explaining satisfactorily known optical facts down to 1880.

The Principle of Relativity: (Original Papers)

Science & Math

EINSTEIN, ALBERT

Minkowski, H.

Physics

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

<p>2015 Reprint of 1923 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This collection of original papers on the special and general theories of relativity is an unabridged translation of the 4th edition of "Das Relativitatsprinzip," together with a revised edition of an additional paper by H. A. Lorentz. "The book constitutes an indispensable part of a library on relativity," "Nature." "It is really a thrill to read again the original papers by these giants," "School Science and Mathematics." "Warmly recommended," "Quarterly of Applied Mathematics." CONTENTS: I. "Michelson's Interference Experiment" by H. A . Lorentz. II. "Electromagnetic Phenomena in a System Moving with any Velocity Less than that of Light" by H. A . Lorentz. III. "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" by A. Einstein. IV. "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon its Energy-Content?" by A. Einstein. V. "Space and Time" by H. Minkowski. VI. "On the Influence of Gravitation on the Propagation of Light" by A. Einstein. VII. "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" by A. Einstein. VIII. "Hamilton's Principle and the General Theory of Relativity" by A. Einstein. IX. "Cosmological Considerations on the General Theory of Relativity" by A. Einstein. X. "Do Gravitational Fields Play an Essential Part in the Structure of the Elementary Particles of Matter?" by A. Einstein. XI. "Gravitation and Electricity" by H. Weyl.</p>

The Principle of Relativity: A Collection of Original Memoirs on the Special and General Theory of Relativity

Lorentz, H. A.

Martino Fine Books

Das Relativitätsprinzip: Eine Sammlung von Abhandlungen (Fortschritte der mathematischen Wissenschaften in Monographien) (German Edition)

Einstein, A.

Vieweg+Teubner Verlag

The principle of relativity; original papers

Experiments, Instruments & Measurement

Alpha Edition

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