What Does the Lorentz Force Have to do with Special Relativity?
| Scientific Paper | |
|---|---|
| Title | What Does the Lorentz Force Have to do with Special Relativity? |
| Author(s) | Peter Marquardt, Georg Galeczki |
| Keywords | Special Relativity; Maxwell equations; Lorentz force |
| Published | 1997 |
| Journal | Galilean Electrodynamics |
| Volume | 8 |
| Number | 6 |
| Pages | 109-111 |
Abstract
The Lorentz force F = q(E + v x B) is independent of Maxwell?s field equations and is not derivable as a ?Lorentz-transformed Coulomb-law?. The similarity with the ?Lorentz-transformed? normal (to u) component of E, En' = (En + u x B) , where u denotes the uniform, relative velocity between two fictitious inertial frames of reference (IFR?s), is misleading. If at all, the Lorentz force pertains to external B-fields produced by closed currents. The violation of Newton?s third principle and, therefore, of the energy conservation law, cannot be avoided even if one takes radiation from accelerated charges into account.