- #1
SeventhSigma
- 257
- 0
My questions here, in order:
1. How do Maxwell's equations demand that c is constant for everyone? People say that his equations "derive" c but I always thought that the permeability variables were experimentally derived. I fully understand the derivation of gamma from the time dilation light clock -- that's all good and well. That derives from the concept of c being the same for all observers, but I want to know the logical steps made in determining this as a necessary condition to begin with.
2. How do we know where else gamma applies? How do we derive relativistic mass, relativistic length, relativistic momentum and mass-energy equivalence? I've searched through so many threads on this forum and all I really see are heated disagreements and handwaving. I want to know the logical steps that led us to go "We need to use gamma here and based on this we derive such and such." I figure all relativity needs to assume is that c is held constant and therefore everything else changes to adjust given sufficiently high speeds -- but based on this I want to know how everything since this is derived.
3. If we define energy as an ability to do work, what exactly is the underlying "fuel" here? If we know E=mc^2, this tells us the maximum amount of energy a particular mass can leverage to perform work, correct? What is it about mass that determines its ability to do work?
1. How do Maxwell's equations demand that c is constant for everyone? People say that his equations "derive" c but I always thought that the permeability variables were experimentally derived. I fully understand the derivation of gamma from the time dilation light clock -- that's all good and well. That derives from the concept of c being the same for all observers, but I want to know the logical steps made in determining this as a necessary condition to begin with.
2. How do we know where else gamma applies? How do we derive relativistic mass, relativistic length, relativistic momentum and mass-energy equivalence? I've searched through so many threads on this forum and all I really see are heated disagreements and handwaving. I want to know the logical steps that led us to go "We need to use gamma here and based on this we derive such and such." I figure all relativity needs to assume is that c is held constant and therefore everything else changes to adjust given sufficiently high speeds -- but based on this I want to know how everything since this is derived.
3. If we define energy as an ability to do work, what exactly is the underlying "fuel" here? If we know E=mc^2, this tells us the maximum amount of energy a particular mass can leverage to perform work, correct? What is it about mass that determines its ability to do work?