Mach's Principle: What Is It & How Can I Understand It?

  • Thread starter Thread starter sanjone
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Principle
Click For Summary
Mach's Principle is a philosophical concept that suggests the inertia of an object is influenced by the distribution of mass in the universe. It lacks a clear, consistent definition across different texts, making it difficult to articulate in purely mathematical terms. The principle has sparked various interpretations and debates within the physics community. Understanding Mach's Principle requires grappling with its philosophical implications rather than seeking a straightforward mathematical explanation. Overall, it remains a topic of interest and discussion in both physics and philosophy.
sanjone
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
I learned about mach's principle from a book. But I can'understand the details of it. So can you please explain me what is mach's principle? Is it correct?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi there sanjone! Welcome to the forum. We actually had a recent discussion about this so perhaps you'll find it helpful: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=697284&highlight=mach's+principle You'll notice from the discussion that Mach's principle isn't even defined in an unambiguous, consistent manner amongst various texts mainly because it cannot really be stated in purely mathematical terms (it's usually thought of as a philosophical statement).
 
In an inertial frame of reference (IFR), there are two fixed points, A and B, which share an entangled state $$ \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(|0>_A|1>_B+|1>_A|0>_B) $$ At point A, a measurement is made. The state then collapses to $$ |a>_A|b>_B, \{a,b\}=\{0,1\} $$ We assume that A has the state ##|a>_A## and B has ##|b>_B## simultaneously, i.e., when their synchronized clocks both read time T However, in other inertial frames, due to the relativity of simultaneity, the moment when B has ##|b>_B##...

Similar threads

  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
5K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
739
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 35 ·
2
Replies
35
Views
6K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
6K
  • · Replies 73 ·
3
Replies
73
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K