Symmetries and Asymmetries in Classical and Relativistic Electrodynamics

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Scientific Paper
Title Symmetries and Asymmetries in Classical and Relativistic Electrodynamics
Author(s) Umberto Bartocci, Marco Mamone Capria
Keywords Classical Electrodynamics, Relativistic Electrodynamics
Published 1991
Journal Foundations of Physics
Volume 21
Number 7
Pages 787-801

Abstract

By a comparison between maxwell's electrodynamics classically interpreted (MT) and relativistic electrodynamics (RED), this paper discusses whether the "asymmetries" in MT mentioned by A. Einstein in his 1905 relativity paper are only of a conceptual nature of rather involve specific empirical claims. It is shown that in fact MT predicts strongly asymmetric behaviour for very simple interactions, and an analysis is made of the extent of the ?symmetry? achieved by means of relativistic postulates. A "low" velocity experiment is suggested which could provide another test of the accuracy of RED with respect to MT.