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A Note on Relativity Before Einstein
Macrossan, Michael N. (1986-01-01) A Note on Relativity Before Einstein. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 37 : 232-234.
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| Name |
Description |
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larmor.pdf
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larmor.pdf |
application/pdf |
112.55KB |
4861 |
| Author(s) |
Macrossan, Michael N.
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| Title |
A Note on Relativity Before Einstein
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| Journal name |
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
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| Publication date |
1986-01-01
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| Volume number |
37
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| Start page |
232
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| End page |
234
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| Subject |
240504 Electrostatics and Electrodynamics
370601 History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
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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.
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| Keyword(s) |
Lorentz transformation
history
time dilation
length contraction
origin of special relativity
pre-Einstein
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