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GR: Fachverband Gravitation und Relativitätstheorie
GR 8: Poster Session
GR 8.4: Poster
Tuesday, March 17, 2015, 14:00–16:00, H 2033
Is the Speed of Light 'c' a True Constant? — •Albrecht Giese — Taxusweg 15, 22605 Hamburg
The Michelson-Morley experiment has at the first glance given the impression that 'c' is a constant in relation to any system. However, at the second glance this constancy turns out to be pure measurement result.
H. Lorentz has pointed out that this apparent constancy is the result of well understood field behaviour, i.e. the contraction of fields. Einstein accepted this as a working explanation, but he disliked it as it made an ether necessary, which he didn't want. He insisted in a theory with a constant 'c' with respect to any system. To achieve this, he had to assume a variation of space and time depending on the actual conditions of motion.
Einstein extended this principle about 'c' to gravitational fields. Even though it can be directly measured that 'c' is reduced there, Einstein again stated its constancy and explained the measurement result as a change of space-time (which is not directly measurable).
It is logically possible to transform Einstein's equations based on a constancy of 'c' and a variable space-time into a model, where space and time are fixed as always assumed but 'c' variable. This results in a much simpler understanding of physics with predominantly similar results as with Einstein.
Further information: www.ag-physics.org/gravity