Relativistic Dialectics Relativistic Dialectics |
Georges Metanomski Foundations of General Relativity |
In one of the letters written to the Infeld group in Warsaw Einstein wrote: |
=============================================== Foundations of General Relativity =============================================== AXIOM OF GR: PRINCIPLE OF EQUIVALENCE Newtonian model applied the term "mass" as homonym of two distinct concepts: "inertial mass (IM)" and "gravitational mass (GM)". Since Galileo's experiment demonstrating that all objects have equal gravity acceleration IM was known to be equal to GM, but this was considered as a coincidence. Several physicists hoped that more precise measurements may show some slight difference. In spite of extremely fine precision, the equality persisted, but was always considered as accidental. By replacing this equality with equivalence, by saying that there are no distinct IM and GM, but only one mass M Einstein created the General Relativity. One may say that never in the history of Science an equally complex theory resulted from an equally simple assumption. At the first glance it looks incredible. We have seen that mass is a simple mathematical coefficient, devoid as such of any physical meaning In Mathematics equality is a special case of equivalence relation, so "equal" implies necessarily "equivalent" and Principle of Equivalence looks like a tautology. And it would be a tautology if we forgot the interrelation of MS and PS. Coefficients GM and IM correlate respectively Gravity and Inertia forces in PS. By saying that they are equivalent we imply that Gravity- and Inertia forces in PS are equivalent and interchangeable with respect to their effects on physical phenomena. It means, back in MS, that the concepts of Gravity- and Inertia Fields are equivalent and interchangeable. =============================================== QUASI AXIOMATIC RULES AND PRINCIPLES 1.Principle of Relativity extended over non-inertial referentials. The importance of this point cannot be exaggerated. Indeed PS or "universe" is overwhelmingly, in not entirely non-inertial. It seems quite reasonable to say that inertial referentials do not exist at all; that some non-inertial ones may be approximated as inertial, in which the laws of SR hold approximately. SR looks less like a final achievement, than like a step towards something more universal, but unknown at the moment of SR creation; a bivouac built in fog on a steep slope in hope that next etape will reach over the clouds, into sunshine. NOTE: Galilean Relativity Principle postulates that laws of Mechanics are rigorously identical in all Inertial Referentials. In SR Einstein extended Galilean Relativity over electro-magnetic and optic laws saying that Physics is rigorously identical in all Inertial Referentials. This Extended Relativity is usually referred to as Principle of Relativity. In GR Einstein extends the Principle of Relativity over ALL referentials. 2.Local reducibility to SR. Referentials and parts thereof, where the non-inertial effects are negligible, may be considered as inertial with acceptable applicability of laws of SR. 3.Einstein's Covering Principle. =============================================== |
BACK TO TOP OF PAGE |