Definition:Lorentz-Fitzgerald Contraction
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Definition
The Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction is the name given to the apparent contraction of a moving body.
This contraction is in the direction of motion of the body.
It is observed by an observer in a different inertial frame of reference
Also known as
The Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction is also known as the Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction.
Also see
- Results about the Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction can be found here.
Source of Name
This entry was named for Hendrik Antoon Lorentz and George Francis FitzGerald.
Historical Note
The Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction was predicted independently by Hendrik Antoon Lorentz in $1889$, and by George Francis FitzGerald in $1895$.
It was later explained by the Special Theory of Relativity.
Sources
- 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction