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Galina Weinstein

Publications and source records attributed to Galina Weinstein.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
arXiv2012

Poincaré's Dynamics of the Electron - A Theory of Relativity?

Before 1905, Poincaré stressed the importance of the method of clocks and their synchronization, but unlike Einstein, magnet and conductor (asymmetries in Lorentz's theory regarding the explanation of Faraday's induction) or chasing a light beam and overtaking it, were not a matter of great concern for him. In 1905 Poincaré elaborated Lorentz's electron theory from 1904 in two papers entitled "Sur la dynamique de l'electron". In May 1905 he sent three letters to Lorentz at the same time that Albert Einstein wrote his famous May 1905 letter to Conrad Habicht: "I can promise you in return four works,[...] The fourth paper is only a rough draft at this point, and is an electrodynamics of moving bodies". In the May 1905 letters to Lorentz Poincaré presented the basic equations of his 1905 Dynamics of the Electron. Hence, in May 1905, Poincaré and Einstein both had drafts of papers pertaining to the principle of relativity. Poincaré's draft led to a space-time mathematical theory of groups at the basis of which stood the postulate of relativity, and Einstein's draft led to a kinematical theory of relativity. Poincaré did not renounce the ether. He wrote a new law of addition of velocities, but he did not abandon the tacit assumptions made about the nature of time, simultaneity, and space measurements implicit in Newtonian kinematics. Although he questioned absolute time and absolute simultaneity, he did not make new kinematical tacit assumptions about space and time. He also did not require reciprocity of the appearances, and therefore did not discover relativity of simultaneity: these are the main hallmarks of Einstein's special theory of relativity. Nevertheless, as shown by other writers, Poincaré's theory had influenced later scientists especially Hermann Minkowski.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

Genesis of general relativity - Discovery of general relativity

The intermediate stage of the development of general relativity is inseparable of Marcel Grossmann's mathematical assistance. Einstein acknowledges Grossmann's help during 1912-1914 to the development of general relativity. In fact, as with special relativity so was it with General relativity, Einstein received assistance only from his old friends, Marcel Grossmann and Michele Besso. However, he continued to consider Besso as his eternal "sounding board"...

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

Albert Einstein and the Fizeau 1851 Water Tube Experiment

In 1895 Hendrik Antoon Lorentz derived the Fresnel dragging coefficient in his theory of immobile ether and electrons. This derivation did not explicitly involve electromagnetic theory at all. According to the 1922 Kyoto lecture notes, before 1905 Einstein tried to discuss Fizeau's experiment "as originally discussed by Lorentz" (in 1895). At this time he was still under the impression that the ordinary Newtonian law of addition of velocities was unproblematic. In 1907 Max Laue showed that the Fresnel dragging coefficient would follow from a straightforward application of the relativistic addition theorem of velocities. This derivation is mathematically equivalent to Lorentz's derivation of 1895. From 1907 onwards Einstein adopted Laue's derivation. When Robert Shankland asked Einstein how he had learned of the Michelson-Morley experiment, Einstein told him that he had become aware of it through the writings of Lorentz, but only after 1905 had it come to his attention. "Otherwise", he said, "I would have mentioned it in my paper". He continued to say that the experimental results which had influenced him most were stellar aberration and Fizeau's water tube experiment. "They were enough". Indeed the famous Michelson-Morley experiment is not mentioned in the 1905 relativity paper; but curiously Einstein did not mention Fizeau's experimental result either, and this is puzzling in light of the importance of the experiment in Einstein's pathway to his theory. In this paper I try to discuss this question.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

Did Mileva Marić assist Einstein in writing his 1905 path breaking papers?

Writers read Einstein's letter to Marić from 1901 in which he wrote: "bringing our work on relative motion to a successful conclusion!" What came afterwards was boosted by a claim that Joffe had seen the original relativity paper manuscript, and that it was signed "Einstein-Marity" (i.e., "Marić"). This drew the attention of some writers to develop a theory according to which Mileva Marić assisted Albert Einstein in solving his physics problems, but her name was left out of the published article and only Einstein's name appears in the journal as author. Historical and primary sources do not support this scenario.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

Einstein Chases a Light Beam

This is a prelude to a book which I intend to publish. This paper describes my temporary thoughts on Einstein's pathway to the special theory of relativity. See my papers on my thoughts on Einstein's pathway to his general theory of relativity. Never say that you know how Einstein had arrived at his special theory of relativity, even if you read his letters to his wife and friends, and some other primary documents. Einstein gave many talks and wrote pieces, but at the end of the day, he told very little geographical, historical and biographical details pertaining to the years he had spent in the patent office. I thus bring here my jigsaw puzzle and warn the reader again, this is my creation and not Einstein's...

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

Einstein on the Impossibility of Superluminal Velocities

In 1907 Einstein discussed with Wilhelm Wien the occurrences of superluminal velocities in dispersive and absorptive media. Einstein tried to present to Wien an expression for the group velocity in dispersive media that was based on his 1905 relativistic addition theorem for velocities, which he claimed to be valid for absorptive media, and to demonstrate the impossibility of superluminal velocities. However, he recognized that his expression needed an amendment and correction. Einstein did not convince Wien, and was finally confused, because he did not have the correct expression for the group velocity in dispersive media. However, he wrote Wien, "it is beyond doubt that our electromagnetic theories of dispersion can never yield superluminal velocity for the propagation of an optical signal".

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

Einstein the Stubborn: Correspondence between Einstein and Levi-Civita

Before developing his 1915 General Theory of Relativity, Einstein held the "Entwurf" theory. Tullio Levi-Civita from Padua, one of the founders of tensor calculus, objected to a major problematic element in this theory, which reflected its global problem: its field equations were restricted to an adapted coordinate system. Einstein proved that his gravitational tensor was a covariant tensor for adapted coordinate systems. In an exchange of letters and postcards that began in March 1915 and ended in May 1915, Levi-Civita presented his objections to Einstein's above proof. Einstein tried to find ways to save his proof, and found it hard to give it up. Finally Levi-Civita convinced Einstein about a fault in his arguments. However, only in spring 1916, long after Einstein had abandoned the 1914 theory, did he finally understand the main problem with his 1914 gravitational tensor. In autumn 1915 the Göttingen brilliant mathematician David Hilbert found the central flaw in Einstein's 1914 derivation. On March 30, 1916, Einstein sent to Hilbert a letter admitting, "The error you found in my paper of 1914 has now become completely clear to me".

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

Einstein's 1912-1913 struggles with Gravitation Theory: Importance of Static Gravitational Fields Theory

In December 1911, Max Abraham published a paper on gravitation at the basis of which was Albert Einstein's 1911 June conclusion about a relationship between the velocity of light and the gravitational potential. In February 1912, Einstein published his work on static gravitational fields, which was based on his 1911 June theory. In March 1912, Einstein corrected his paper, but Abraham claimed that Einstein borrowed his equations; however, it was actually Abraham who needed Einstein's ideas and not the other way round. Einstein thought that Abraham converted to his theory of static fields while Abraham presumed exactly the opposite. Einstein then moved to Zurich and switched to new mathematical tools. He examined various candidates for generally covariant field equations, and already considered the field equations of his general theory of relativity about three years before he published them in November 1915. However, he discarded these equations only to return to them more than three years later. Einstein's 1912 theory of static fields finally led him to reject the generally covariant field equations and to develop limited generally covariant field equations.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

From the Berlin "ENTWURF" Field Equations to the Einstein Tensor I: October 1914 until Beginning of November 1915

I discuss Albert Einstein's 1914 review paper, "The Formal Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity" from two points of view: the main elements in the paper that appear to have led to the downfall of the Einstein-Grossman theory; and the elements that seem to have inspired Einstein during October 1915 to reformulate the 1914 Einstein-Grossmann theory in the form of the November 1915 and the 1916 General Theory of Relativity. First paper among three papers.

physics.hist-ph↗
arXiv2012

From the Berlin "Entwurf" Field Equations to the Einstein Tensor III: March 1916

I discuss Albert Einstein's 1916 General Theory of Relativity. I show that in Einstein's 1916 review paper, "the Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity", he derived his November 25, 1915 field equations with an additional term on the right hand side involving the trace of the energy-momentum tensor (he posed the condition square root -g=1) using the equations he presented on November 4, 1915. Series of papers: Final paper.

physics.hist-ph↗