Abstract
I WISH to point out a peculiar property of the motion of a particle in the theory of relativity when the initial speed is that of light. The result is valid for both the special and the general theory of relativity, but for simplicity I shall consider here only the former case. We start, then, with the Minkowski formula, ds2 = c2dt2 – dx2 – dy2 – dz2. This vanishes for the motion of a light-pulse. The interval ds is imaginary when the velocity is greater than that of light, and is real when the velocity is less than that of light.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
KASNER, E. Relativity: Particles Starting with the Velocity of Light. Nature 108, 434–435 (1921). https://doi.org/10.1038/108434a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/108434a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
