Philosophy
January 28th, 2013
SPACEDAILY
Two American physicists outline the role played by Austrian physicist Friedrich Hasenohrl in establishing the proportionality between the energy (E) of a quantity of matter with its mass (m) in a cavity filled with radiation.
In a paper about to be published in EPJ H, Stephen Boughn from Haverford College in Pensylvannia and Tony Rothman from Princeton University in New Jersey argue how Hasenohrl's work, for which he now receives little credit, may have contributed to the famous equation E=mc2.
According to science philosopher Thomas Kuhn, the nature of scientific progress occurs through paradigm shifts, which depend on the cultural and historical circumstances of groups of scientists. Concurring with this idea, the authors believe the notion that mass and energy should be related did not originate solely with Hasenohrl.
Nor did it suddenly emerge in 1905, when Einstein published his paper, as popular mythology would have it. Given the lack of recognition for Hasenohrl's contribution, the authors examined the Austrian physicist's original work on blackbody radiation in a cavity with perfectly reflective walls.
This study seeks to identify the blackbody's mass changes when the cavity is moving relative to the observer.
They then explored the reason why the Austrian physicist arrived at an energy/mass correlation with the wrong factor, namely at the equation: E = (3/8) mc2.
Hasenohrl's error, they believe, stems from failing to account for the mass lost by the blackbody while radiating.
Before Hasenohrl focused on cavity radiation, other physicists, including French mathematician Henri Poincare and German physicist Max Abraham, showed the existence of an inertial mass associated with electromagnetic energy.
In 1905, Einstein gave the correct relationship between inertial mass and electromagnetic energy, E=mc2. Nevertheless, it was not until 1911 that German physicist Max von Laue generalised it to include all forms of energy.
Friedrich Hasenohrl [Wikipedia]
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Philosophy
Still debating E=mc2
"More than one brain behind E=mc2"
January 28th, 2013
SPACEDAILY
Two American physicists outline the role played by Austrian physicist Friedrich Hasenohrl in establishing the proportionality between the energy (E) of a quantity of matter with its mass (m) in a cavity filled with radiation.
In a paper about to be published in EPJ H, Stephen Boughn from Haverford College in Pensylvannia and Tony Rothman from Princeton University in New Jersey argue how Hasenohrl's work, for which he now receives little credit, may have contributed to the famous equation E=mc2.
According to science philosopher Thomas Kuhn, the nature of scientific progress occurs through paradigm shifts, which depend on the cultural and historical circumstances of groups of scientists. Concurring with this idea, the authors believe the notion that mass and energy should be related did not originate solely with Hasenohrl.
Nor did it suddenly emerge in 1905, when Einstein published his paper, as popular mythology would have it. Given the lack of recognition for Hasenohrl's contribution, the authors examined the Austrian physicist's original work on blackbody radiation in a cavity with perfectly reflective walls.
This study seeks to identify the blackbody's mass changes when the cavity is moving relative to the observer.
They then explored the reason why the Austrian physicist arrived at an energy/mass correlation with the wrong factor, namely at the equation: E = (3/8) mc2.
Hasenohrl's error, they believe, stems from failing to account for the mass lost by the blackbody while radiating.
Before Hasenohrl focused on cavity radiation, other physicists, including French mathematician Henri Poincare and German physicist Max Abraham, showed the existence of an inertial mass associated with electromagnetic energy.
In 1905, Einstein gave the correct relationship between inertial mass and electromagnetic energy, E=mc2. Nevertheless, it was not until 1911 that German physicist Max von Laue generalised it to include all forms of energy.
Friedrich Hasenohrl [Wikipedia]
E=mc2...Einstein's idea?
"Einstein's Mistakes"--Ohanian's book on the market
- Redaction From Hawking
"Stephen Hawking says there is no such thing as black holes, Einstein spinning in his grave" STEPHEN Hawking has rocked the world of physics by reversing his lifetime’s work to claim that black holes do NOT exist – insisting they’re more like 50...
- Einstein...3.14...birthday
Well, Albert Einstein's birthday will be on March 14th and, as being the most popular and probably most famous physicist, it is fitting to review some of the selections on Einstein somewhat early. Annus mirabilis-1905 March is a time of...
- Einstein Train...rusted And Retired
Most unusual. The photo would make good for wallpaper or even a poster. From Physics Central: A train that describes how one might travel through spacetime was discovered in the Bolivian desert by a physics teacher. The old locomotive itself must have...
- "einstein's Mistakes"--ohanian's Book On The Market
Right on time as promised. "Great and Imperfect" by McMahon September 5th, 2008 The Wall Street Journal Ask anyone where E=mc2 comes from and you will invariably be told "Einstein." The name is forever paired with the famous equation, and the two together...
- "a Brain Is A Terrible Thing To Lose"--al Gore
I might as well address this issue for it inevitably comes up in discussions about Einstein and that is the story of Einstein's brain. Einstein died on April 18th, 1955 at the age of seventy six in Princeton, New Jersey from heart failure. An autopsy...