TY - JOUR
T1 - Can special relativity be derived from Galilean mechanics alone?
AU - Sela, Or
AU - Tamir, Boaz
AU - Dolev, Shahar
AU - Elitzur, Avshalom C.
PY - 2009/5
Y1 - 2009/5
N2 - Special relativity is based on the apparent contradiction between two postulates, namely, Galilean vs. c-invariance. We show that anomalies ensue by holding the former postulate alone. In order for Galilean invariance to be consistent, it must hold not only for bodies' motions, but also for the signals and forces they exchange. If the latter ones do not obey the Galilean version of the Velocities Addition Law, invariance is violated. If, however, they do, causal anomalies, information loss and conservation laws' violations are bound to occur. These anomalies are largely remedied by introducing waves and fields that disobey Galilean invariance. Therefore, from these inconsistencies within classical mechanics, electromagnetism could be predicted before experiment proved its existence. Special relativity, it might be argued, would then follow naturally, either as a resolution of the resulting conflict or as an extrapolation of the path between the theories. We conclude with a review of earlier attempts to base SR on a single postulate, and point out the originality of the present work.
AB - Special relativity is based on the apparent contradiction between two postulates, namely, Galilean vs. c-invariance. We show that anomalies ensue by holding the former postulate alone. In order for Galilean invariance to be consistent, it must hold not only for bodies' motions, but also for the signals and forces they exchange. If the latter ones do not obey the Galilean version of the Velocities Addition Law, invariance is violated. If, however, they do, causal anomalies, information loss and conservation laws' violations are bound to occur. These anomalies are largely remedied by introducing waves and fields that disobey Galilean invariance. Therefore, from these inconsistencies within classical mechanics, electromagnetism could be predicted before experiment proved its existence. Special relativity, it might be argued, would then follow naturally, either as a resolution of the resulting conflict or as an extrapolation of the path between the theories. We conclude with a review of earlier attempts to base SR on a single postulate, and point out the originality of the present work.
KW - Electromagnetism
KW - Galilean invariance
KW - Special relativity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67349280843&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10701-009-9301-1
DO - 10.1007/s10701-009-9301-1
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AN - SCOPUS:67349280843
SN - 0015-9018
VL - 39
SP - 499
EP - 509
JO - Foundations of Physics
JF - Foundations of Physics
IS - 5
ER -