18
3 The Physical Elements of the Special Theory of Relativity
These phenomena connected to the inertia of masses constitute the dynamic effects
of the Special Theory of Relativity. We will concentrate on this in Chaps. 22–23.
An exciting fact of Special Relativity is that we can observe all of these effects
in any inertial reference system we choose. None of these effects allows us to give
preference to any one of these frames. This is also valid for the phenomena of light
propagation, for the propagation of electromagnetic waves. All these phenomena
are defined with respect to an inertial system, and all inertial systems are on equal
footing. This principle of relativity has stood next to the cradle of physics during the
process of evolving into an exact science and was named after Galilei. I. Newton
founded his mechanics on this principle. This will be explained in the following
chapter in detail. Notice that Eq. (10) is the only relativistic correction to Newtonian
mechanics.
In Chap. 2, we tried to explain the propagation of electromagnetic waves with
the help of a mechanical medium. This ended in hopeless conflict with the field of
mechanics, where the acoustic phenomena show us the state of motion of its carrier
medium (see also Chap. 18). Einstein, however, stuck to his principle of relativity.
This relativity was the driving, the motivating force in the discovery of his theory,
hence the name, the Theory of Relativity. The different possible axiomatic approaches
to the Special Theory of Relativity will be discussed in Chap. 16. For an extended
elaboration of the aspects of Special Relativity s. H. Günther [38] and V. Müller,
the reader also finds a lot of references.
We will now search for in the field of mechanics, the origin of the wave equation
which plays a key role in the Special Theory of Relativity.
3 The Physical Elements of the Special Theory of Relativity
These phenomena connected to the inertia of masses constitute the dynamic effects
of the Special Theory of Relativity. We will concentrate on this in Chaps. 22–23.
An exciting fact of Special Relativity is that we can observe all of these effects
in any inertial reference system we choose. None of these effects allows us to give
preference to any one of these frames. This is also valid for the phenomena of light
propagation, for the propagation of electromagnetic waves. All these phenomena
are defined with respect to an inertial system, and all inertial systems are on equal
footing. This principle of relativity has stood next to the cradle of physics during the
process of evolving into an exact science and was named after Galilei. I. Newton
founded his mechanics on this principle. This will be explained in the following
chapter in detail. Notice that Eq. (10) is the only relativistic correction to Newtonian
mechanics.
In Chap. 2, we tried to explain the propagation of electromagnetic waves with
the help of a mechanical medium. This ended in hopeless conflict with the field of
mechanics, where the acoustic phenomena show us the state of motion of its carrier
medium (see also Chap. 18). Einstein, however, stuck to his principle of relativity.
This relativity was the driving, the motivating force in the discovery of his theory,
hence the name, the Theory of Relativity. The different possible axiomatic approaches
to the Special Theory of Relativity will be discussed in Chap. 16. For an extended
elaboration of the aspects of Special Relativity s. H. Günther [38] and V. Müller,
the reader also finds a lot of references.
We will now search for in the field of mechanics, the origin of the wave equation
which plays a key role in the Special Theory of Relativity.