The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Volume 3
The Swiss Years: Writings, 1909-1911
Published on 2. January 1994
Book
Hardback
550 pages
978-0-691-08772-6 (ISBN)
Description
This volume of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein presents Einstein's writings for the two-year period starting in October 1909. The initial date marks Einstein's departure from the Swiss Patent Office at Bern, which had been his professional home for seven years, and the beginning of his first academic appointment, at the University of Zurich. The volume concludes with the masterful report that Einstein, by then a full professor at the German-language university in Prague, gave to the original Solvay Congress, the first international meeting devoted to the problems of radiation and the quantum theory. Most of Einstein's efforts during these years went into his struggle with these ever more perplexing problems of quanta, on which he made discouragingly little progress. Einstein's new academic career naturally required him to teach, and almost half of this volume consists of the previously unpublished notes he wrote in preparation for his lectures on mechanics, on electricity and magnetism, and on kinetic theory and statistical mechanics. The last of these is particularly interesting in reflecting some of his research interests.
Several papers here are concerned with aspects of the special theory of relativity, but it is Einstein's article of June 1911 that is a harbinger of things to come: it contains his calculation of the bending of light in a gravitational field on the basis of his equivalence principle. Martin J. Klein is Bass Professor of the History of Science and Professor of Physics at Yale University and Senior Editor of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein. A. J. Kox teaches history of science at the University of Amsterdam, Jurgen Renn is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Physics at Boston University, and Robert Schulmann is Assistant Professor of History at Boston University.
Several papers here are concerned with aspects of the special theory of relativity, but it is Einstein's article of June 1911 that is a harbinger of things to come: it contains his calculation of the bending of light in a gravitational field on the basis of his equivalence principle. Martin J. Klein is Bass Professor of the History of Science and Professor of Physics at Yale University and Senior Editor of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein. A. J. Kox teaches history of science at the University of Amsterdam, Jurgen Renn is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Physics at Boston University, and Robert Schulmann is Assistant Professor of History at Boston University.
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Language
German
Place of publication
New Jersey
United States
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Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
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Trade binding
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Height: 254 mm
Width: 191 mm
Weight
1531 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-691-08772-6 (9780691087726)
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Persons
Martin J. Klein is Bass Professor of the History of Science and Professor of Physics at Yale University and Senior Editor of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein. A. J. Kox teaches history of science at the University of Amsterdam, Juergen Renn is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Physics at Boston University, and Robert Schulmann is Assistant Professor of History at Boston University.
Content
List of Texts xi INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL Introduction to Volume 3 xv Supplement to the Editorial Method in Previous Volumes xxxi Acknowledgments xxxiii Note on the Translation xxxiv Location Symbols and Descriptive Symbols xxxv TEXTS 1 Editorial Note: Einstein's Lecture Notes 3 1.Lecture Notes for Introductory Course on Mechanics, University of Zurich, Winter Semester 1909-1910 (18 October 1909-5 March 1910) 11 2."The Principle of Relativity and Its Consequences in Modern Physics," 15 January and 15 February 1910 130 "Le principe de relativite et ses consequences dans la physique moderne" Archives des sciences physiques et naturelles 29 (1910) 3.Response to Manuscript of Planck 1910a, before 18 January 1910 177 "Antwort auf Planks Manuskript" 4.Lecture Notes for Course on the Kinetic Theory of Heat, University of Zurich, Summer Semester 1910 (19 April-5 August 1910) 179 5."On the Theory of Light Quanta and the Question of the Localization of Electromagnetic Energy," 7 May 1910 248 "Sur la theorie des quantites lumineuses et la question de la localisation de l'energie electromagnetique" Archives des sciences physiques et naturelles 29 (1910) 6."On the Ponderomotive Forces Acting on Ferromagnetic Conductors Carrying a Current in a Magnetic Field," 15 July 1910 254 "Sur les forces ponderomotrices qui agissent sur des conducteurs ferromagnetiques disposes dans un champ magnetique et parcourus par un courant" Archives des sciences physiques et naturelles 30 (1910) 7."On a Theorem of the Probability Calculus and Its Application in the Theory of Radiation" (with Ludwig Hopf), 29 August 1910 258 "Uber einen Satz der Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnung und seine Anwendung in der Strahlungstheorie" Annalen der Physik 33 (1910) 8."Statistical Investigation of a Resonator's Motion in a Radiation Field" (with Ludwig Hopf), August 1910 269 "Statistische Untersuchung der Bewegung eines Resonators in einem Strahlungsfeld" Annalen der Physik 33 (1910) Editorial Note: Einstein on Critical Opalescence 283 9."The Theory of the Opalescence of Homogeneous Fluids and Liquid Mixtures near the Critical State," October 1910 286 "Theorie der Opaleszenz von homogenen Flussigkeiten und Flussigkeitsgemischen in der Nahe des kritischen Zustandes" Annalen der Physik 33 (1910) 10."Comments on P. Hertz's Papers: 'On the Mechanical Foundations of Thermodynamics'," October 1910 313 "Bemerkungen zu den P. Hertzschen Arbeiten: 'Uber die mechanischen Grundlagen der Thermodynamik'" Annalen der Physik 34 (1911) 11.Lecture Notes for Course on Electricity and Magnetism, University of Zurich, Winter Semester 1910-1911 (17 October 1910-4 March 1911) 316 12."Comment on Eotvos's Law," 30 November 1910 401 "Bemerkung zu dem Gesetz von Eotvos" Annalen der Physik 34 (1911) 13."A Relationship between Elastic Behavior and Specific Heat in Solids with a Monatomic Molecule," 30 November 1910 408 "Eine Beziehung zwischen dem elastischen Verhalten und der spezifischen Warme bei festen Korpern mit einatomigem Molekul" Annalen der Physik 34 (1911) 14."Correction to My Paper: 'A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions'," January 1911 415 "Berichtigung zu meiner Arbeit: 'Eine neue Bestimmung der Molekuldimensionen'" Annalen der Physik 34 (1911) 15."Comment on My Paper: 'A Relationship between Elastic Behavior ...'" (Doc. 13), January 1911 419 "Bemerkung zu meiner Arbeit: 'Eine Beziehung zwischen dem elastischen Verhalten ...'" Annalen der Physik 34 (1911) 16."Comment on a Fundamental Difficulty in Theoretical Physics," 2 January 1911 422 "Bemerkung uber eine fundamentale Schwierigkeit in der theoretischen Physik" 17."The Theory of Relativity," 16 January 1911 424 "Die Relativitats-Theorie" Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Zurich. Vierteljahrsschrift 56 (1911) 18."Discussion" following lecture version of "The Theory of Relativity" (Doc. 17), 16 January 1911 440 Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Zurich. Sitzungsberichte (1911) 19.Notes for a Lecture on Fluctuations, 10 February 1911 450 20.Statement on the Light Quantum Hypothesis, 21 February 1911 456 Naturforschende Gesellschaft in Zurich. Sitzungsberichte (1911) 21."Elementary Observations on Thermal Molecular Motion in Solids," May 1911, and "Note Added in Proof" 459 "Elementare Betrachtungen uber die thermische Molekularbewegung in festen Korpern" and "Nachtrag zur Korrektur" Annalen der Physik 35 (1911) Editorial Note: Einstein on Length Contraction in the Theory of Relativity 478 22."On the Ehrenfest Paradox. Comment on V. Varicak's Paper," May 1911 481 "Zum Ehrenfestschen Paradoxon. Bemerkung zu V. Varicaks Aufsatz" Physikalische Zeitschrift 12 (1911) 23."On the Influence of Gravitation on the Propagation of Light," June 1911 485 "Uber den Einfluss der Schwerkraft auf die Ausbreitung des Lichtes" Annalen der Physik 35 (1911) 24.Excerpts of discussions following lectures delivered at 83d meeting of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Arzte, 25 and 27 September 1911 498 Physikalische Zeitschrift 12 (1911) 25.Discussion remarks following lectures delivered at first Solvay Congress, 30 October-3 November 1911 505 26."On the Present State of the Problem of Specific Heats," 3 November 1911 520 "Zum gegenwartigen Stande des Problems der spezifischen Warme" Arnold Eucken, ed., Die Theorie der Strahlung und der Quanten. Verhandlungen auf einer von E. Solvay einberufenen Zusammenkunft (30. Oktober bis 3. November 1911), mit einem Anhange uber die Entwicklung der Quantentheorie vom Herbst 1911 bis Sommer 1913. Halle a.S.: Knapp, 1914. (Abhandlungen der Deutschen Bunsen Gesellschaft fur angewandte physikalische Chemie, vol. 3, no. 7.) 27."Discussion" following lecture, "On the Present State of the Problem of Specific Heats" (Doc. 26), 3 November 1911 549 Arnold Eucken, ed., Die Theorie der Strahlung und der Quanten. Verhandlungen auf einer von E. Solvay einberufenen Zusammenkunft (30. Oktober bis 3. November 1911), mit einem Anhange uber die Entwicklung der Quantentheorie vom Herbst 1911 bis Sommer 1913. Halle a.S.: Knapp, 1914. (Abhandlungen der Deutschen Bunsen Gesellschaft fur angewandte physikalische Chemie, vol. 3, no. 7.) APPENDIXES 563 A. Scratch Notebook, 1909-1914? 563 B. Einstein's Academic Courses 598 Literature Cited 601 Indexes 621