DR EINSTEIN AND DR MINKOWSKI Part II

Dr Einstein proposed that there is no meaning for “space” and “time” when considered on universal scale and at speeds approaching velocity of light.  Both should be treated as a single concept of “Space Time”. This concept appears like a mad idea in our ordinary world but when we consider the endless physical universe of stars and galaxies  we should take “time” just like a forth dimension of “space”.  The  matter  comprising the  billions of galaxies in the universe is not treated in the science of Wave Mechanics  as solid matter . It is treated  only as a special type of field in which the so called stars,galaxies etc are only a kind of dense crystallized energy and fields governed by rules of Wave Mechanics and the grand theories of Special and General Relativity . The separate concepts of matter and radiation loose meaning.Dr Einstein felt that the idea of Time as fourth dimension is the easiest way to understand the bizarre universe . Since Time is also a dimension of space, space can be referred to as “Space time continuum”    

Here we may remember that Dr Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity deals only with uniform velocities in straight line (i.e.  without any acceleration) and was propounded in 1905. The General Theory of Relativity published in 1916 covers  accelerated motions such as motion in  curved paths,motion of big and small objects and light photons in gravitational fields.Dr Minkowski ‘s paper on “Basic equations for electromagnetic phenomena in moving bodies” published in a German magazine in 1907 and a lecture on “Space and Time” read at a science conference at the German city of  Cologne in 1908 created a great impression on the world scientific community . These papers were scintillating and expert  commentaries on Special Theory of Relativity from the mathematician’s angle. These papers were later helpful to Dr Einstein himself to proceed with his work on General Theory of Relativity which was published years later.It is interesting to note that Dr Minkowski who was much senior to Dr Einstein actually was a mathematics professor at ETH polytechnic Zurich,Switzerland when Einstein was a student there. It is said Einstein was a student of Dr Minkowski for some time. Dr Minkowski fully realized the importance and the earth- shaking power of Relativity ideas of Dr Eeinstein and was instrumental  in elucidating Relativity ideas by giving them an expert mathematical treatment. But the sad fact is that Dr Minkowski  died suddenly on January 12 1909. He reportedly remarked while he was seriously ill “What a pity that I have to die in the age of Relativity’s development!”  Dr Minkowski was only 45 years old and Dr Einstein was only 30 years old then.Dr Einstein must have felt extremely sad for  the untimely loss of the  great mathematician.  

Einstein himself clarified how “Time” is the fourth coordinate of Space and not independent of Space.. Einstein already proposed years before  that as per Prof Lorenz’s theory when bodies move at speeds approaching  speed of light they shorten in length because the electromagnetic fields inside the atoms making up the object undergo changes due to mutual attractions/ repulsions. Such fields, contained in every one of the billions billions atoms of  an imaginary  clock moving in a space cabin at speed near to speed of light, also are affected  and so the clock in the space cabin shows less of elapsed time. It is said that all the scientific measuring instruments on board the space cabin will function at a different rate in keeping with the lessened length dimensions. Even humans and other living things on board would age at slower rate! It means that the time shown by  that clock shortens while the time shown by  the clock kept on earth would be normal earth  time. Dr minkowski only put this idea in a mathematical language stating that  the distances measured on X,Y,Z coordinates go on shortening as time elapses when the travel is at velocities near to speed of light. So at end of  every billionth of second  the values of X,Y,Z coordinates of the objects on board the space cabin will be different. In such a situation “Time” (being only a fourth coordinate of “Space” ) looses its separate identity . Space can be  re designated as “Space-Time” . The set of a million states of the object traveling near the speed of light (like a million still photographs of the object) give an idea of the “Space-Time Continuum”.  Still the idea of Space-Time confuses even scientists. Sir James Jeans said that with inauguration of this new concept of Space-Time, “the study of inner workings of Nature(i.e. theoretical physics ) passed from engineer-scientists to the mathematicians”

It is said that after Dr. Minkowski’s elucidation of Dr Einstein’s very abstract ideas about “Space-Time continuum”,Einstein's  fame grew far and wide. He was recognized as  the leading theoretical physicist of the age and as the “Copernicus of 20th century” (in words of   the great Max Planck ). The world scientific community decided that the  the Swiss patent office at Berne (where Einstein was still working!) was not the place for him and that he should immediately be welcomed as professor of theoretical physics at any of the very prestigious  universities of Europe to get the benefit of his teaching and researching abilities about the earth shacking “Relativity” ideas.