Project Gutenberg's The Einstein Theory of Relativity, by H.A. Lorentz

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Title: The Einstein Theory of Relativity

Author: H.A. Lorentz

Release Date: February 27, 2004 [EBook #11335]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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The Einstein Theory of Relativity

A Concise Statement

by

Prof. H.A. Lorentz of the University of Leyden

NOTE

Whether it is true or not that not more than twelve persons in all the
world are able to understand Einstein's Theory, it is nevertheless
a fact that there is a constant demand for information about this
much-debated topic of relativity. The books published on the subject
are so technical that only a person trained in pure physics and
higher mathematics is able to fully understand them. In order to
make a popular explanation of this far-reaching theory available,
the present book is published.

Professor Lorentz is credited by Einstein with sharing the development
of his theory. He is doubtless better able than any other man--except
the author himself--to explain this scientific discovery.

The publishers wish to acknowledge their indebtedness to the New
York Times, The Review of Reviews and The Athenaeum for courteous
permission to reprint articles from their pages. Professor Lorentz's
article appeared originally in The Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant of
November 19, 1919.

INTRODUCTION

The action of the Royal Society at its meeting in London on November
6, in recognizing Dr. Albert Einstein's "theory of relativity"
has caused a great stir in scientific circles on both sides of the
Atlantic. Dr. Einstein propounded his theory nearly fifteen years
ago. The present revival of interest in it is due to the remarkable
confirmation which it received in the report of the observations
made during the sun's eclipse of last May to determine whether rays
of light passing close to the sun are deflected from their course.

The actual deflection of the rays tha