Special relativity and classical electromagnetism

Abstract

Until now we have deliberately avoided the use of ideas based on special relativity so as to show that all our interpretations can be based on classical electromagnetism itself without any recourse to special relativity. In this chapter we shall give a brief survey of the intimate relationships between classical electromagnetism and special relativity, which will show that the interpretations we have developed are consistent with special relativity. We shall assume that the reader has done an introductory course on special relativity leading up to the Lorentz transformations and the other transformations of special relativity. A summary of the transformations of special relativity is given in Appendix E. Readers interested in a recent book which fits in with the approach we are adopting is referred to Rosser [1].