RELATIVITY’ - Part II
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THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF ‘RELATIVITY’ - Part II Experiment to Verify that Light Moves having the Gravitational Field as the Local Reference and Discussion of Experimental Data. Viraj P.L. Fernando, Independent Researcher on Evolution and Philosophy of Physics 193, Kaldemulla Road, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. [email protected] Abstract: The part I of this paper presented a novel Kinetic Theory of Relativity based upon action of energy by way of a thermodynamic analogy. The present part of the paper will discuss important experimental data relevant to this Kinetic Theory. The experiment will explain the result of Michelson’s experiment by way of demonstrating the reason why the velocity of light remains the same with respect to Earth’s orbital motion in all directions is because light moves having the Sun’s gravitational field as the local reference frame and not the frame of Earth’ orbital motion. In the course of explaining the reasons for the result of Michelson’s experiment, we also find an explanation for the aberration of starlight. It will be shown that all presently known experiments are consistent with the theory presented in the original paper (Part I). Since the same principle of redundancy a fraction energy applies to all cases equally, the case of delay of disintegration of a fast moving muon, which is supposed to fall into the domain of the special theory, and the case of the precession of the perihelion of Mercury, which is supposed to fall into the domain of the general theory are solved identically. In each case the required result is obtained by the application of the methodology of ‘synthesis of antithetical equations’. Hence the dichotomy between special theory relativity and general theory of relativity gets transcended. Einstein’s and Lorentz’ Explanations of the Result of Michelson’s Experiment. Lorentz contended that one arm of the apparatus of Michelson’s experiment shortens in length. He also postulated that not only the distance but the time also adjusts reciprocally in a compensatory manner, so that the effect of the velocity of the reference frame to slow down the velocity of light gets hidden, and therefore the velocity of light appears to remain the same in all directions (6, p. 172 ). Einstein considered both arms equally long in every inertial system and attributed the contraction factor to relativity of simultaneity (7, p.195). But the fact is that neither Lorentz nor Einstein has explained the result of Michelson’s experiment satisfactorily, as it would become clear from the following statements of Reichenbach. "… we can speak of an explanation (of ….Michelson’s experiment ) by Einstein’s theory as little as we can speak of an explanation by Lorentz’s theory or by classical theory. ….. It would be mistaken to argue that Einstein’s theory gives an explanation of Michelson’s experiment, since it does not do so. (The result of) Michelson’s experiment is simply taken over as an axiom" (7, pp. 201-2). It must be noted that Reichenbach was no ordinary commentator on special relativity. He was a foremost authority on the subject by virtue of the fact that he has been the prime contributor in the development of special relativity to its ‘third and final stage’ if one were to analyse the evolution of the theory and categorise it into stages of development. First stage has been developed by Einstein at the level of On Electrodynamics of moving bodies. Second stage has been developed with Minkowski’s contribution of ‘World Geometry’. And third stage has been developed beginning with the contribution by Reichenbach who has introduced ‘sets of simultaneous events’ in place of Einstein’s ‘one and only one event simultaneous with a given event’ (8, p.135 ). Reichenbach also states: "In order to explain the (Michelson’s) experiment, Lorentz made the assumption that one arm of the apparatus is contracted by the amount (1-v2/c 2)1/2 , when it moves relative to ether. Einstein on the other hand, considered both arms equally long in every inertial system and calculated the contraction factor (1-v2/c 2)1/2 , in an entirely different manner, as a consequence of relativity of simultaneity. The opinion has been expressed that the contraction of one arm of the apparatus is an ‘ad hoc hypothesis’ while Einstein’s hypothesis is a natural explanation that is a consequence of the relativity of simultaneity. Both explanations are wrong . The relativity of simultaneity has nothing to do with the contraction in Michelson’s experiment, and Einstein’s theory explains the experiment as little as does that of Lorentz" (7, pp.195-6). Our contention is different from that of Einstein, in regard to why velocity of light remains the same in all directions with respect to the velocity of orbit of the Earth. Our contention is that, it is as a consequence of gravitational redshift occurring due to light moving with respect to the gravitational energy of Sun’s field of gravity at the position of Earth’s orbit, as the background energy. This needs further explanation. We have shown previously that transmission of energy takes place by the action of energy within a local system between upper and lower magnitude limits of its intensive property. And for it to form the local system, it acquires the magnitude of the intensive component of background energy as the magnitude of its lower limit. Gravitational energy is equal to gravitational potential (intensive property) times mass (extensive property) of the moving object. So when we say here that ‘light moves against the background of the gravitational energy’, what we mean is that for this transmission, the energy of the photon forms a local system by adapting the intensive component of the gravitational energy (i.e., gravitational potential) as the lower limit of its intensive component. It will be noted that the velocity of orbit of the Earth v at any given position R from the Sun is determined by the gravitational potential GM/R of the Sun’s field at that position such that v = (GM/R) 1/2 . Simply put, the photon moves against the background of the gravitational field energy, and screens off the energy of Earth’s orbital motion by means of aberration (see below). Unlike the velocity of Earth’s orbital motion, which is a vector, the gravitational potential is a scalar and its effects do not vary according to the direction considered. Therefore, the result of Michelson’s experiment is simply a case of the gravitational potential at the position of Earth’s orbit being adapted by light as the lower limit of its intensive component and consequently this affecting the energy of the photon irrespective of the direction of its motion. An Experiment to verify that Light Moves having the Gravitational Field as the Local Reference Frame in lieu of having Earth’s Orbital Frame for it. The above contention can be verified in the following manner. Velocity of Earth’s orbital motion is the same irrespective of whether a point on the surface of the Earth is nearest to the Sun (noon) or farthest away from it (midnight). However, the gravitational potential of the Sun’s field of where the point is located differs between noon and midnight. A Pound and Rebka type of an experiment is proposed to be performed to measure redshifts at a given elevation. (Whether it is noon or midnight the redshift due to Earth’s gravitational field at a given elevation is the same and this can be eliminated). But if there is a redshift that varies between noon and midnight it will be found that it corresponds to the variation of the gravitational potential of the Sun’s field for the point between noon and midnight. And this redshift will be uniform for light incident from all directions at a given time proving that the Sun’s gravitational field is the local reference frame of the motion of light. The experiment will also show that there is another redshift, which does not change between noon and midnight, and that has the mean value of the varying redshift due to the Sun’s gravitational field. This redshift will be due to Earth’s orbital motion, and the value of the redshift will vary depending on the direction of incidence of light with respect to the direction of orbit of the Earth. This result will confirm that in the motion of light, it excludes the energy of Earth’s orbital motion being considered as the local reference frame, and in preference it takes the Sun’s gravitational field energy for this. And we provide the explanation of how this exclusion is done by way of explaining Bradley aberration of starlight below. Einstein’s theory accounts for stellar aberration in the following way. Viewed from an inertial frame, light will traverse a straight path from the star to a telescope. But Earth’s motion through that inertial frame will move the telescope a small amount during the time it takes the light to pass through the telescope, causing an apparent angular shift in the star’s position. This effect has an yearly periodicity since it is due to Earth’s motion through the inertial frame (9, p.6). This explanation that light deviates upon entering the barrel of the telescope is not quite convincing. It tries to convey the idea that if a naked eye observation were to be done, then this aberrational effect will not be there. This can be checked in the following way. A taut thin wire is attached to a frame mounted on an adjustable stand and the star is observed with the naked eye along the wire and the inclination noted.