English

Relativistic electrodynamics as an extrapolation of relativistic kinematics

General Physics 2007-10-17 v1

Abstract

After having identified all the possible relationships between the electric field and the magnetic field in a given inertial reference frame we derive the transformation equations for the components of these fields. Special relativity is involved via the addition law of parallel speeds or via the Lorentz transformations for the space-time coordinates of the same event. Electricity and magnetism are involved via Gauss's and Ampere's laws. In this way we avoid the transformation equations for the Lorenz force components which are used in most derivations of the transformation equations for E and B fields.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0710.2981,
  title  = {Relativistic electrodynamics as an extrapolation of relativistic kinematics},
  author = {Bernhard Rothenstein and Stefan Popescu},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0710.2981},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

Version Oct.2007, 7 pages and 3 figures