BROADER VIEW OF RELATIVITY, A: GENERAL IMPLICATIONS OF LORENTZ AND POINCARE INVARIANCE (2ND EDITION) (Advanced Series on Theoretical Physical Science, 10) - Hardcover

Hsu, Jong-Ping; Hsu, Leonardo

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 9812566511 ISBN 13: 9789812566515

Publisher: World Scientific Pub Co Inc, 2006

Synopsis

A Broader View of Relativity shows that there is still new life in old physics. The book examines the historical context and theoretical underpinnings of Einstein's theory of special relativity and describes Broad Relativity, a generalized theory of coordinate transformations between inertial reference frames that includes Einstein's special relativity as a special case. It shows how the principle of relativity is compatible with multiple concepts of physical time and how these different procedures for clock synchronization can be useful for thinking about different physical problems, including many-body systems and the development of a Lorentz-invariant thermodynamics. Broad relativity also provides new answers to old questions such as the necessity of postulating the constancy of the speed of light and the viability of Reichenbach's general concept of time. The book also draws on the idea of limiting-four-dimensional symmetry to describe coordinate transformations and the physics of particles and fields in non-inertial frames, particularly those with constant linear accelerations. This new edition expands the discussion on the role that human conventions and unit systems have played in the historical development of relativity theories and includes new results on the implications of broad relativity for clarifying the status of constants that are truly fundamental and inherent properties of our universe.

About this title

Review

"Hsu's book shows many new aspects of Einstein's theory which are not taught in lectures or by any other books on this subject ...His understanding and appreciation of physics together with his unconventional style of writing make, in my opinion, the book worth reading for every physicist who is interested in Special Relativity."

interesting for anyone looking beyond a standard textbook presentation -- Australian Physics "Australian Physics"

Edition details

• Publisher: World Scientific Pub Co Inc
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9812566511
• ISBN 13: 9789812566515
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 516