The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 2
The Swiss Years: Writings, 1900-1909
Published on 21. February 1990
Book
Hardback
692 pages
978-0-691-08526-5 (ISBN)
Description
This volume of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein contains the scientific work Einstein published during the first decade of his career, and includes some of the most significant achievements of twentieth-century physics. The first paper was written in 1900 by the twenty-one-year-old Einstein, newly graduated from the Swiss Federal Polytechnical School, or ETH, in Zurich and still searching in vain for a job. The last paper in this volume is the text of an invited lecture given in 1909 to a major scientific meeting by Einstein after he was appointed to his first academic post at the University of Zurich. He had already been recognized as an important theoretical physicist on the basis of the work reprinted here, particularly the three masterpieces that appeared in quick succession during 1905, Einstein's year of miracles. In one of these papers Einstein showed how one could finally confirm the ancient view that matter is composed of discrete atoms, and even measure the numbers and masses of these atoms.
In a second paper, which even he referred to as "very revolutionary," he argued that the observed properties of thermal radiation suggest that it consists not of waves, but rather of localized particles of energy which he called energy quanta. The third and most famous paper set forth the special theory of relativity, solving some long-standing difficulties, but requiring a significant change in our understanding of those basic concepts, space and time.
In a second paper, which even he referred to as "very revolutionary," he argued that the observed properties of thermal radiation suggest that it consists not of waves, but rather of localized particles of energy which he called energy quanta. The third and most famous paper set forth the special theory of relativity, solving some long-standing difficulties, but requiring a significant change in our understanding of those basic concepts, space and time.
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German
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New Jersey
United States
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Professional and scholarly
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Height: 254 mm
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1588 gr
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978-0-691-08526-5 (9780691085265)
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Content
List of Texts ix INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL Introduction to Volume 2 xvi Supplement to the Editorial Method in Volume One xxxi A Note on Secondary Literature xxxiii Acknowledgments xxxiv Translation xxxv List of Location Symbols xxxvi TEXTS 3 Editoral Note: Einstein on the Nature of Molecular Forces 3 1."Conclusions Drawn from the Phenomena of Capillarity," 13 December 1900 "Folgerungen aus den Capillaritatserscheinungen" Annalen der Physik 4 (1901) 9 2."On the Thermodynamic Theory of the Difference in Potentials between Metals and Fully Dissociated Solutions of Their Salts and on an Electrical Method for Investigating Molecular Forces," April 1902 "Ueber die thermodynamische Theorie der Potentialdifferenz zwischen Metallen und vollstandig dissociirten Losungen ihrer Salze und uber eine elektrische Methode zur Erforschung der Molecularkrafte" Annalen der Physik 8 (1902) 22 Editorial Note: Einstein on the Foundations of Statistical Physics 41 3."Kinetic Theory of Thermal Equilibrium and of the Second Law of Thermodynamics," June 1902 "Kinetische Theorie des Warmegleichgewichtes und des zweiten Hauptsatzes der Thermodynamik" Annalen der Physik 9 (1902) 56 4."A Theory of the Foundations of Thermodynamics," January 1903 "Eine Theorie der Grundlagen der Thermodynamik" Annalen der Physik 11 (1903) 76 5."On the General Molecular Theory of Heat," 27 March 1904 "Zur allgemeinen molekularen Theorie der Warme" Annalen der Physik 14 (1904) 98 Editorial Note: Einstein's Reviews for the Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 109 6.Review of Giuseppe Belluzzo, "Principles of Graphic Thermodynamics," first half of March 1905 "Principi di termodinamica grafica" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 112 7.Review of Albert Fliegner, "On Clausius's Law of Entropy," first half of March 1905 "Uber den Clausius'schen Entropiesatz" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 115 8.Review of William McFadden Orr, "On Clausius' Theorem for Irreversible Cycles, and on the Increase of Entropy," first half of March 1905 Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 118 9.Review of George Hartley Bryan, "The Law of Degradation of Energy as the Fundamental Principle of Thermodynamics," first half of March 1905 Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 120 10.Review of Nikolay Nikolayevich Schiller, "Some Concerns Regarding the Theory of Entropy Increase Due to the Diffusion of Gases Where the Initial Pressures of the Latter Are Equal," first half of March 1905 "Einige Bedenken betreffend die Theorie der Entropievermehrung durch Diffusion der Gase bei einander gleichen Anfangsspannungen der letzteren" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 122 11.Review of Jakob Johann Weyrauch, "On the Specific Heats of Superheated Water Vapor," first half of March 1905 "Ueber die spezifischen Warmen des uberhitzten Wasserdampfes" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 125 12.Review of Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff, "The Influence of the Change in Specific Heat on the Work of Conversion," first half of March 1905 "Einfluss der Anderung der spezifischen Warme auf die Umwandlungsarbeit" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 127 13.Review of Arturo Giammarco, "A Case of Corresponding States in Thermodynamics," first half of March 1905 "Un caso di corrispondenza in termodinamica" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 131 Editorial Note: Einstein's Early Work on the Quantum Hypothesis 134 14."On a Heuristic Point of View Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light," 17 March 1905 "Uber einen die Erzeugung und Verwandlung des Lichtes betreffenden heuristischen Gesichtspunkt" Annalen der Physik 17 (1905) 149 Editorial Note: Einstein's Dissertation on the Determination of Molecular Dimensions 170 15.A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions (University of Zurich dissertation), 30 April 1905 Eine neue Bestimmung der MolekuldimensionenBern: Buchdruckerei K. J. Wyss, 1906 183 Editorial Note: Einstein on Brownian Motion 206 16."On the Movement of Small Particles Suspended in Stationary Liquids Required by the Molecular-Kinetic Theory of Heat," May 1905 "Uber die von der molekularkinetischen Theorie der Warme geforderte Bewegung von in ruhenden Flussigkeiten suspendierten Teilchen" Annalen der Physik 17 (1905) 223 17.Review of Karl Fredrik Slotte, "On the Heat of Fusion," second half of June 1905 "Uber die Schmelzwarme" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 237 18.Review of Karl Fredrik Slotte, "Conclusions Drawn from a Thermodynamic Equation," second half of June 1905 "Folgerungen aus einer thermodynamischen Gleichung" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 240 19.Review of Emile Mathias, "The Constant a of Rectilinear Diameters and the Laws of Corresponding States," second half of June 1905 "La constante a des dametres rectilignes et les lois des etats correspondants" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 242 20.Review of Max Planck, "On Clausius' Theorem for Irreversible Cycles, and on the Increase of Entropy," second half of June 1905 Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 245 21.Review of Edgar Buckingham, "On Certain Difficulties Which Are Encountered in the Study of Thermodynamics," second half of June 1905 Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 247 22.Review of Paul Langevin, "On a Fundamental Formula of the Kinetic Theory," second half of June 1905 "Sur une formule fondamentale de la theorie cinetique" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 250 Editorial Note: Einstein on the Theory of Relativity 253 23."On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies," June 1905 "Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Korper" Annalen der Physik 17 (1905) 275 24."Does the Inertia of a Body Depend upon its Energy Content?" September 1905 "Ist die Tragheit eines Korpers von seinem Energieinhalt abhangig?" Annalen der Physik 18 (1905) 311 25.Review of Heinrich Birven, Fundamentals of the Mechanical Theory of Heat, second half of September 1905 Grundzuge der mechanischen Warmetheorie Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 316 26.Review of Auguste Ponsot, "Heat in the Displacement of the Equilibrium of a Capillary System," second half of September 1905 "Chaleur dans le deplacement de l'equilibre d'un systeme capillaire" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 318 27.Review of Karl Bohlin, "On Impact Considered as the Basis of Kinetic Theories of Gas Pressure and of Universal Gravitation," second half of September 1905 "Sur le choc, considere comme fondement des theories cinetiques de la pression des gaz et de la gravitation universelle" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 320 28.Review of Georges Meslin, "On the Constant in Mariotte and Gay-Lussac's Law," first half of November 1905 "Sur la constante de la loi de Mariotte et Gay-Lussac" Betblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 323 29.Review of Albert Fliegner, "The Efflux of Hot Water from Container Orifices," first half of November 1905 "Das Ausstromen heissen Wassers aus Gefassmundungen" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 325 30.Review of Jakob Johann Weyrauch, An Outline of the Theory of Heat. With Numerous Examples and Applications. Part 1, second half of November 1905 Grundriss der Warmetheorie. Mit zahlreichen Beispielen und Anwendungen Betblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 327 31.Review of Albert Fliegner, "On the Thermal Value of Chemical Processes," second half of November 1905 "Uber den Warmewert chemischer Vorgange" Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 29 (1905) 331 32."On the Theory of Brownian Motion," December 1905 "Zur Theorie der Brownschen Bewegung" Annalen der Physik 19 (1906) 333 33."Supplement" to "A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions" [the version of Document 15 published as an article in the Annalen der Physik], January 1906 Annalen der Physik 19 (1906) 346 34."On the Theory of Light Production and Light Absorption," March 1906 "Zur Theorie der Lichterzeugung und Lichtabsorption" Annalen der Physik 20 (1906) 349 35."The Principle of Conservation of Motion of the Center of Gravity and the Inertia of Energy," May 1906 "Das Prinzip von der Erhaltung der Schwerpunktsbewegung und die Tragheit der Energie" Annalen der Physik 20 (1906) 359 36."On a Method for the Determination of the Ratio of the Transverse and the Longitudinal Mass of the Electron," August 1906 "Uber eine Methode zur Bestimmung des Verhaltnisses der transversalen und longitudinalen Masse des Elektrons" Annalen der Physik 21 (1906) 367 37.Review of Max Planck, Lectures on the Theory of Thermal Radiation, first half of August 1906 Vorlesungen uber die Theorie der Warmestrahlung Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 30 (1906) 373 38."Planck's Theory of Radiation and the Theory of Specific Heat," November 1906 "Die Plancksche Theorie der Strahlung und die Theorie der spezifischen Warme" Annalen der Physik 22 (1907) 378 39."On the Limit of Validity of the Law of Thermodynamic Equilibrium and on the Possibility of a New Determination of the Elementary Quanta," December 1906 "Uber die Gultigkeitsgrenze des Satzes vom thermodynamischen Gleichgewicht und uber die Moglichkeit einer neuen Bestimmung der Elementarquanta" Annalen der Physik 22 (1907) 392 40."Theoretical Remarks on Brownian Motion," January 1907 Theoretische Bemerkungen uber die Brownsche Bewegung" Zeitschrift fur Elektrochemie und angewandte physikalische Chemie 13 (1907) 398 41."On the Possibility of a New Test of the Relativity Principle," March 1907 "Uber die Moglichkeit einer neuen Prufung des Relativitatsprinzips" Annalen der Physik 23 (1907) 401 42."Correction to My Paper: 'Planck's Theory of Radiation, etc.' " [Document 38], 3 March 1907 "Berichtigung zu meiner Arbeit: 'Die Plancksche Theorie der Strahlung etc.' " Annalen der Physik 22 (1907) 404 43.Author's abstract of lecture "On the Nature of the Movements of Microscopically Small Particles Suspended in Liquids," held 23 March 1907 "Ueber die Natur der Bewegungen mikroskopisch kleiner, in Flussigkeiten suspendierter Teilchen" Naturforschende Gesellschaft Bern. Mitteilungen (1907) 407 44."Comments on the Note of Mr. Paul Ehrenfest: 'The Translatory Motion of Deformable Electrons and the Area Law,' " 14 April 1907 "Bemerkungen zu der Notiz von Hrn. Paul Ehrenfest: 'Die Translation deformierbarer Elektronen und der Flachensatz' " Annalen der Physik 23 (1907) 409 45."On the Inertia of Energy Required by the Relativity Pnnciple," May 1907 "Uber die vom Relativitatspnnzip geforderte Tragheit der Energie" Annalen der Physik 23 (1907) 413 46.Review of Jakob Johann Weyrauch, An Outline of the Theory of Heat. With Numerous Examples and Applications. Part 2, second half of August 1907 Grundriss der Warmetheorie. Mit zahlreichen Beispielen und Anwendungen Beiblatter zu den Annalen der Physik 31 (1907) 429 47."On the Relativity Pnnciple and the Conclusions Drawn from It," 4 December 1907 "Uber das Relativitatspnnzip und die aus demselben gezogenen Folgerungen" Jahrbuch der Radioaktivitat und Elektronik 4 (1907) 432 48."A New Electrostatic Method for the Measurement of Small Quantities of Electricity," 13 February 1908 "Eine neue elektrostatische Methode zur Messung kleiner Elektrizitatsmengen" Physikalische Zeitschrift 9 (1908) 489 49."Corrections to the Paper: 'On the Relativity Principle and the Conclusions Drawn from It'" [Document 47], 29 February 1908 "Berichtigungen zu der Arbeit: 'Uber das Relativitatsprinzip und die aus demselben gezogenen Folgerungen'" Jahrbuch der Radioaktivitat und Elektronik 5 (1908) 493 50."Elementary Theory of Brownian Motion," 1 April 1908 "Elementare Theorie der Brownschen Bewegung" Zeitschrift fur Elektrochemie und angewandte physikalische Chemie 14 (1908) 496 Editorial Note: Einstein and Laub on the Electrodynamics of Moving Media 503 51."On the Fundamental Electromagnetic Equations for Moving Bodies" (with Jakob Laub), 29 April 1908 "Uber die elektromagnetischen Grundgleichungen fur bewegte Korper" Annalen der Physik 26 (1908) 508 52."On the Ponderomotive Forces Exerted on Bodies at Rest in the Electromagnetic Field" (with Jakob Laub), 7 May 1908 "Uber die im elektromagnetischen Felde auf ruhende Korper ausgeubten ponderomotorischen Krafte" Annalen der Physik 26 (1908) 518 53."Correction to the Paper: 'On the Fundamental Electromagnetic Equations for Moving Bodies' " (with Jakob Laub) [Document 51], 24 August 1908 "Berichtigung zur Abhandlung: 'Uber die elektromagnetischen Grundgleichungen fur bewegte Korper' " Annalen der Physik 27 (1908) 529 54."Remarks on Our Paper: 'On the Fundamental Electromagnetic Equations for Moving Bodies' " (with Jakob Laub) [Document 51], November 1908, and 531 "Supplement," 19 January 1909 "Bemerkungen zu unserer Arbeit: 'Uber die elektromagnetischen Grundgleichungen fur bewegte Korper,' " and "Nachtrag" Annalen der Physik 28 (1909) 531 55."Comment on the Paper of D. Mirimanoff: 'On the Fundamental Equations ... ,' " January 1909 "Bemerkung zu der Arbeit von D. Mirimanoff: 'Uber die Grundgleichungen ...' " Annalen der Physik 28 (1909) 536 56."On the Present Status of the Radiation Problem," January 1909 "Zum gegenwartigen Stand des Strahlungsproblems" Physikalische Zeitschaft 10 (1909) 541 57."On the Present Status of the Radiation Problem" (with Walter Ritz), April 1909 "Zum gegenwartigen Stand des Strahlungsproblems" Physikalische Zeitschrift 10 (1909) 554 58.Extract from "Discussion" following lecture version of Henry Siedentopf, "On Ultramicroscopic Images," 20 September 1909 Physikalische Zeitschrift 10 (1909) 556 59.Extract from "Discussion" following lecture version of Arthur Szarvassi, "The Theory of Electromagnetic Phenomena in Moving Bodies and the Energy Principle," 21 September 1909 Physikalische Zeitschrift 10 (1909) 560 60."On the Development of Our Views Concerning the Nature and Constitution of Radiation," 21 September 1909 "Uber die Entwickelung unserer Anschauungen uber das Wesen und die Konstitution der Strahlung" Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. Verhandlungen 7 (1909) 563 61."Discussion" following lecture version of "On the Development of Our Views Concerning the Nature and Constitution of Radiation" [Document 60], 21 September 1909 Physikalische Zeitschrift 10 (1909) 584 62."Discussion" following lecture version of Fritz Hasenohrl, "On the Transformation of Kinetic Energy into Radiation," 21 September 1909 Physikalische Zeitschrift 10 (1909) 588 Literture Cited 591 Indexes 625