How did Lorentz find his theorem of corresponding states?

Q1 Arts and Humanities

Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics Pub Date : 2019-08-01 DOI:10.1016/j.shpsb.2017.06.006

Michel Janssen

引用次数: 5

Abstract

I offer a reconstruction of how Lorentz found his theorem of corresponding states or, in modern terms, the Lorentz invariance of the source-free Maxwell equations. I show that, to arrive at Lorentz's theorem, both the approximate version of 1895 and the exact version of 1899/1904, Lorentz had to do little more than regroup terms and repeatedly apply the chain rule of differentiation. My reconstruction should thus help dispel the aura of complexity that still surrounds the theorem. I also show how the theorem can be extended to Maxwell's equations with sources and briefly review how Lorentz, after 1905, went from considering Lorentz-transformed quantities purely as auxiliary variables to recognizing them as the measured quantities for moving observers.

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洛伦兹是如何找到对应态定理的?

我提供了洛伦兹如何找到相应状态定理的重建，或者用现代术语来说，是无源麦克斯韦方程组的洛伦兹不变性。我证明了，为了得到洛伦兹定理，无论是1895年的近似版本还是1899/1904年的精确版本，洛伦兹只需要重新组合项并反复应用微分链式法则。因此，我的重构应该有助于消除仍然围绕着这个定理的复杂气氛。我还展示了如何将该定理扩展到有源的麦克斯韦方程组，并简要回顾了洛伦兹在1905年之后如何从单纯地将洛伦兹变换量视为辅助变量，到将其视为运动观察者的测量量。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 物理-科学史与科学哲学

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

13.3 weeks

期刊介绍： Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics is devoted to all aspects of the history and philosophy of modern physics broadly understood, including physical aspects of astronomy, chemistry and other non-biological sciences. The primary focus is on physics from the mid/late-nineteenth century to the present, the period of emergence of the kind of theoretical physics that has come to dominate the exact sciences in the twentieth century. The journal is internationally oriented with contributions from a wide range of perspectives. In addition to purely historical or philosophical papers, the editors particularly encourage papers that combine these two disciplines. The editors are also keen to publish papers of interest to physicists, as well as specialists in history and philosophy of physics.