ABERRATION OF ELECTRIC FIELD AND ACCELERATED

MOTION OF AN ELECTRON WITH CONSTANT MASS

Musa D. Abdullahi
Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, Katsina State, Nigeria
e-mail: musadab@outlook.com

Abstract
An electron of mass m and charge –e moving with velocity v at an angle q to the
accelerating force, due to an electric field of intensity E, is subject to aberration of
electric field. Aberration is due to relativity of velocity (c – v) between the electrical
force, transmitted with velocity of light c and the electron moving with velocity v at time
t. The accelerating force m(dv/dt) is less than the electrostatic force –eE, the difference
being radiation reaction force. Energy radiated is the difference between change in
potential energy and change in kinetic energy. Motion of the electron with constant mass
and its radiation power are treated under acceleration with q = 0 or deceleration with q =
p radians or at constant speed v, in a circle of radius r, with q = p/2 radians. It is shown
that circular revolution of an electron round a central force of attraction, as in the
Rutherford’s nuclear model of the hydrogen atom, is without radiation and stable outside
quantum mechanics, contrary to classical and relativistic electrodynamics.

Keywords: Aberration angle, acceleration, electric field, charge, mass, radiation, special
relativity, velocity

1. INTRODUCTION

Aberration of electric field is a phenomenon similar to aberration of light discovered

by English astronomer, James Bradley, in 1725 [1]. This discovery, which provided the first
direct confirmation of motion of the Earth round the Sun, is one of the most precise and
significant findings in science. Bradley made the first determination of the speed of light, in
comparison with the speed of revolution of the Earth round the Sun. Aberration of light is a
clear demonstration of relativity of speed of light with respect to a moving object, contrary to
the theory of special relativity [2, 3]. Aberration of light is now relegated to the background in
favour of special relativity. It is hardly mentioned in modern physics, perhaps because it is a
contradiction of the cardinal principle of constancy of the speed of light according to the
theory of special relativity [4, 5]. Aberration of light is considered as more of a subject in
remote astronomy rather than a course in mundane physics. Aberration of electric field is the
missing link in modern physics. This paper hopes to bring back to limelight aberration of light
and its twin, aberration of electric field [6, 7].
Indeed, if the speed of light were that constant for all observers, it could never have
been measured, in so far as any measurement is relative to something. The speed of light
turned out to be the most measured and most accurately known quantity in the universe.
Electromagnetic radiation, as well as an electrical force, is propagated in space with
velocity of light. In the aberration of electric field there is relativity of velocity (c – v)
between an electrical force propagated with velocity of light c and an electron moving at
velocity v. As such, the electrical force cannot “catch up” and impact on an electron also
moving with the velocity of light c. The velocity of light thus becomes the ultimate limit to

1
which an electric field can accelerate an electron with emission of radiation and mass of the
particle remaining constant.
With constant mass, the limiting speed of light comes about as a result of emission of
radiation. Energy radiated from an electron, accelerated by an electric field, is the difference
between change in potential energy and change in kinetic energy. At the speed of light, as a
limit, the energy radiated is equal to the potential energy lost in the accelerating field.
As a result of aberration of electric field, for an electron of mass m and charge –e
moving at time t with velocity v and acceleration dv/dt in an electric field of intensity E, the
accelerating force m(dv/dt) is less than the electrostatic force –eE, the difference is the
radiation reaction force [6, 7]. The radiation reaction force in rectilinear motion is –eEv/c and
radiation power, the scalar product of radiation force and velocity, becomes eEv2/c. In circular
revolution perpendicular to the electric field, the radiation power is zero. This makes motion
of an electron, round a positively charged nucleus, as in the Rutherford’s model of the
hydrogen atom without radiation and stable outside Bohr’s quantum mechanics [8, 9].

2. ABERRATION ANGLE

Figure 1 depicts an electron of mass m and charge –e moving at a point P with velocity
v at an angle q to the force of attraction due to an electric field of intensity E from a stationary
source charge +Q at O. The electron is subjected to aberration of electric field whereby the
direction of propagation of the force of attraction, given by velocity vector c, is displaced,
from the instantaneous line PO, through angle of aberration a, such that:

Figure 1: An electron of mass m and charge –e at P moving with velocity v

in an electric field of intensity E due to a stationary charge +Q at O.

2
 v
sin α = sin θ
c (1)
The astronomer James Bradley first derived equation (1), as given by the sine rule with
respect to the triangle PON in Figure 1.

3. VELOCITY OF TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICAL FORCE

With reference to Figure 1, the vector z = (v - c) is the relative velocity of transmission

between the electrical force propagated with velocity of light c and the electron moving with
velocity v, thus:
z = ( c − v ) = − c 2 + v 2 − 2cv cos (θ − α )û
(2)
where (q - a) is the angle between the vectors c and v and û is a unit vector in the positive
direction of the field E. The electron can move with q = 0, p radians or p/2 radians.
With q = 0 there is motion in a straight line with acceleration and equations (1) and
(2) give the relative speed of transmission of the electrical force as:
z = c−v (3)
Where q =p radians there is motion in a straight line with deceleration and the relative speed
of transmission becomes:
z = c+v (4)
If q = p/2 radians and noting that sina = v/c, there is circular revolution with constant speed v.
Equation (1) and (2) give the speed of transmission of the force as:

z = c2 − v2 (5)
Equations (3), (4) and (5) demonstrate the relativity of speed of light with respect to a charged
particle moving with speed v.

4. ACCELERATING FORCE

The accelerating force F at time t, in an electric field of magnitude E, is put as:

eE
F= (c - v )
c
eE 2 2 dv (6)
=- c + v - 2cv cos (q - a )û = m
c dt
where û is a unit vector in the positive direction of the electric field E. For motion in a
straight line under acceleration, with q = 0, equations (1) and (6) give the vector equation:
⎛ v⎞ dv
F = −eE ⎜ 1 − ⎟ û = −m û
⎝ c⎠ dt (7)
The scalar first order differential equation, for an accelerated electron, is:

3
 ⎛ v⎞ dv
eE ⎜ 1− ⎟ = m
⎝ c⎠ dt (8)
The solution of equation (8) for an electron accelerated from zero initial speed, by a uniform
electric field of magnitude E, is:
v ⎛ at ⎞
= 1− exp ⎜ − ⎟
c ⎝ c⎠ (9)
where a = eE/m is a constant.
For motion in a straight line under deceleration, with q = p radians, equations (1) and
(6) give the vector equation:
⎛ v⎞ dv
F = −eE ⎜ 1 + ⎟ û = m û
⎝ c⎠ dt (10)
The scalar first order differential equation, for a decelerated electron, is:
⎛ v⎞ dv
eE ⎜ 1 + ⎟ = −m
⎝ c⎠ dt (11)
The solution of equation (11) for an electron decelerated from the speed of light c, by a
uniform electric field of magnitude E, is:
v ⎛ at ⎞
= 2exp ⎜ − ⎟ −1
c ⎝ c⎠ (12)
Where q = p/2 radians there is motion in a circle of radius r with constant speed v and
centripetal acceleration of –v2/r. Noting that sina = v/c, equation (1) and (6) gives the vector:
v2 v2 v2
F = −eE 1− 2 û = −m û = −mo û
c r r (13)
2 2
mv mo v
−eEû = − û=− û
v2 v2
r 1− 2 r 1− 2
c c (14)
where m = mo, the rest mass.
The theory of special relativity gives the force F on an electron of a rest mass mo, not
equal to the moving mass m, moving in a circle of radius r, in a radial electric field of
magnitude E, with constant speed v, as:
mv 2 mo v 2
−eEû = − û = −γ û
r r (15)
Equation (14) becomes identical to equation (15), if:
4
 mo
m= = γmo
2
v
1−
c2 (16)
where the moving mass m is not equal to the rest mass mo. The Lorentz factor g (gamma) was
introduced by Albert Einstein, in the manner of Lorentz-FitzGerald length contraction, to
explain why a charged particle cannot be accelerated beyond the speed of light.
The relativistic mass-velocity formula (equation 16) is a physical misinterpretation of
mathematical equations (13) and (14). It is the accelerating force which decreases with speed,
reducing to zero at the speed of light, not the mass that increases with speed to become
infinitely large at the speed of light. The relativistic mass m, in equation (16), is the ratio of
electrostatic force (-eE) to centripetal acceleration (-v2/r), for circular revolution, with radius
r, of an electron, in a radial electric field of magnitude E, as given by equation (14). Lorentz
factor g turned out, by sheer coincidence or through Einstein’s genius, to be the ratio of
electrostatic force (-eE) to accelerating force (-mv2/r) in circular revolution.
It is unfortunate that special relativity chose mass, rather than force, as the variable. It
is much easier to deal with zero force at the speed of light than infinite mass at the speed of
light. It is wrong to apply equation (16) to rectilinear motion. For rectilinear motions,
equations (8), (9), (10), (11) and (12) apply.

5. RADIATION POWER

The difference between the accelerating force F, as given by equation (6), and the
electrostatic force or impressed force –eE, is the radiation reaction force, a vector Rf given by:
eE
Rf = ( c − v ) + eE
c (16)
The radiation power Rp is the scalar product –v.Rf, thus:
eE
Rp = −v.R f = − ( c − v ).v − eE.v
c (17)
With reference to Figure 1, radiation power Rp is expressed in terms of the angles q and a, as:
eEv 2
Rp = − eEvcos (θ − α ) + eEvcosθ
c (18)
Equation (18) shows that the radiation power is eEv2/c under acceleration with q = 0 or
under deceleration with q =p radians. For q =p/2 radians, there is circular revolution, round a
central force of attraction, with zero radiation power.

6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Equations (3), (4) and (5) show that the speed of light, relative to an observer, can be
subtracted from or added to, contrary to the relativistic principle of constancy of the speed of
light for all observers, stationary or moving. So, a cardinal principle of the theory of special
relativity is being debunked once more.
5
2. It is shown that Lorentz factor g in equation (16) has nothing to do with mass, but it is
the result of motion of a charged particle perpendicular to an electric field.
3. The relativistic mass-velocity formula (equation 16) is an example of Beckmann’s
Correspondence Theorem (Petr Beckmann, 1987: Einstein Plus Two. Golem Press), where the
desired or expected result is correct but based on the wrong underlying principles.
4. An electron accelerated or decelerated by an electric field, with constant mass, emits
radiation such that the energy radiated is the difference between change in potential energy
and change in kinetic energy.
5. An important result of this paper is contained in equation (18). Here, if q = p/2
radians, there is circular revolution, round a central force of attraction, with constant speed
and zero radiation power. This makes Rutherford’s nuclear model of the hydrogen atom
inherently stable. Revolution in a circle is at constant radius with constant speed, without any
change in potential or kinetic energy. Radiation takes place only where the electron is
somehow dislodged from a circular orbit. It then revolves in an unclosed elliptic orbit with
radial displacement and change in potential and kinetic energy and emission of radiation at
the frequency of revolution, before reverting back to the stable circular orbit.

7. CONCLUSION

The paper has brought out the significance of aberration of electric field as a missing link in
modern physics. With aberration of electric field there should be no need for the theory of
special relativity to explain the speed of light being an ultimate limit and no need for quantum
mechanics to explain the source of radiation from accelerated charged particles.

REFERENCES
1. J. Bradley (1728): Phil. Trans., Royal Soc. 35, 406.
Also see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bradley
2. A. Einstein (1905): “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bod
ies”, Ann. Phys., 17, 891.
3. A. Einstein; & H.A. Lorentz (1923): The Principles of Relativity,
Matheun, London.
4. E. F. Taylor & J. A. (1992): Spacetime Physics: Introduction to
Special Relativity. W. H. Freeman, New York.
5. A. Shadowitz (1988): Special relativity (Reprint of 1968 ed.). Co
rier Dover Publications. pp. 20–22.
6. M.D. Abdullahi (2013): “An Alternative Electrodynamics to
the Theory of Special Relativity”, 20th NPA Conference,
College Park MD, USA.
7. M.D. Abdullahi (2014): Available at:
https://www.academia.edu/7691834/Motion_of_an_Electron_in_Classical_and_Relativistic_
Electrodynamics_and_a_Radiative_Electrodynamics
8. E. Rutherford (1911): “The Scattering of α and β Particles by
Matter and the Structure of the Atom”. Phil. Mag., 21 (1911),
669.
9. N. Bohr (1913): On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules,
Phil. Mag., Series 6, 26.
6
7