A. Einstein, Ann. d. Phys.,
17,
891
1905
Does the Inertia of a Body Depend on its Energy Content?
A. EinsteinBern(Received 1905)The results of the previous investigation lead to a very interesting conclusion, which is here to be deduced.I based that investigation on the Maxwell-Hertz equations for emptyspace, together with the Maxwellian expression for the electromagnetic en-ergy of space, and in addition the principle that:The laws by which the states of physical systems alter are independentof the alternative, to which of two systems of coordinates, in uniform motionof parallel translation relatively to each other, these alterations of state arereferred (principle of relativity).With these principles
as my basis I deduced inter alia the followingresult:Let a system of plane waves of light, referred to the system of coordinates(
x,y,z
), possess the energy
l
; let the direction of the ray (the wave-normal)make an angle
φ
with the axis of
x
of the system. If we introduce a newsystem of co-ordinates (
ξ,η,ζ
) moving in uniform parallel translation withrespect to the system (
x,y,z
), and having its origin of coordinates in motionalong the axis of
x
with the velocity
v
, then this quantity of light-measuredin the system (
ξ,η,ζ
) — possesses the energy
l
∗
=
l
·
1
−
vV
cos
φ
1
−
(
v/V
)
2
,
where
c
denotes the velocity of light. We shall make use of this result inwhat follows.
1
The principle of the constancy of the velocity of light is of course contained inMaxwell’s equations.
1
Let there be a stationary body in the system (
x,y,z
), and let its energy–referred to the system (
x,y,z
) — be
E
0
. Let the energy of the body relativeto the system (
ξ,η,ζ
), moving as above with the velocity
v
, be
H
0
.Let this body send out, in a direction making an angle
φ
with the axisof
x
, plane waves of light, of energy
L/
2 measured relatively to (
x,y,z
), andsimultaneously an equal quantity of light in the opposite direction. Mean-while the body remains at rest with respect to the system (
x,y,z
). Theprinciple of energy must apply to this process, and in fact (by the principleof relativity) with respect to both systems of co-ordinates. If we call the en-ergy of the body after the emission of light
E
1
or
H
1
respectively, measuredrelatively to the system (
x,y,z
) or (
ξ,η,ζ
) respectively, then by employingthe relation given above we obtain
E
0
=
E
1
+
L
2+
L
2
,H
0
=
H
1
+
L
2
·
1
−
vV
cos
φ
1
−
(
v/V
)
2
+
L
2
·
1 +
vV
cos
φ
1
−
(
v/V
)
2
=
H
1
+
L
1
−
(
v/V
)
2
.
By subtraction we obtain from these equations(
H
0
−
E
0
)
−
(
H
1
−
E
1
) =
L
·
1
1
−
(
v/V
)
2
−
1
.
The two differences of the form
H
-
E
occurring in this expression havesimple physical significations.
H
and
E
are energy values of the same bodyreferred to two systems of co-ordinates which are in motion relatively to eachother, the body being at rest in one of the two systems (system (
x,y,z
)).Thus it is clear that the difference
H
-
E
can differ from the kinetic energy
K
of the body, with respect to the other system (
ξ,η,ζ
), only by an additiveconstant
C
, which depends on the choice of the arbitrary additive constantsof the energies
H
and
E
. Thus we may place
H
0
−
E
0
=
K
0
+
C,H
1
−
E
1
=
K
1
+
C,
since
C
does not change during the emission of light. So we have
K
0
−
K
1
=
L
·
1
1
−
(
v/V
)
2
−
1
.
2
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