Henri Poincare: Electrons to Special Relativity: Translation of Selected Papers and Discussion

This book discusses the experimental and theoretical investigations of electrons at the beginning of the 20th century, including translations of seminal articles by Henri Poincaré and discussions of the origin of the theory of special relativity. It also explores the relativity principle, electron stability, and gravitation while rejecting absolute motion and an electromagnetic origin of mass.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 285 pages
Publication date: 06 August 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This remarkable work, crafted by an acclaimed translator of Henri Poincaré, presents a collection of translations of several seminal articles by Poincaré, alongside comprehensive discussions on the experimental and theoretical investigations of electrons that form the backdrop of his ideas. In the 1950s, a heated debate erupted regarding the origins of the theory of special relativity, and it was a paper written by Henri Poincaré in 1905 that gained significant attention in this regard. Consequently, Part I of this book presents the pertinent translations of Poincaré's work, showcasing his groundbreaking discoveries that radiation carries momentum and the covariance of the equations of electrodynamics, the continuity equation for charge, and the spacetime interval. Part II delves into the insightful investigations conducted by Thomson, Becquerel, and Kaufmann of electrons in various contexts. It also explores the contributions of Abraham, Lorentz, and Poincaré to a theory of electrons that incorporates Lorentz transformations and elucidates the relationship between mass and velocity. Furthermore, Part II discusses Poincaré's exploration of the relativity principle, electron stability, and gravitation, while rejecting absolute motion (ether) and an electromagnetic origin of mass. Part III contains the 1904 article by H. A. Lorentz, presenting his transformative transformations. This captivating book is a must-read for graduate-level students, physicists, and science historians who have a deep interest in the development of electrodynamics and the classical, relativistic theory of electrons at the dawn of the 20th century.

Weight: 468g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030480417
Edition number: 1st ed. 2020