Relative-Velocity-Dependent Weber-type Models in Electromagnetism

Abstract

This article reconsiders the relative-velocity-dependent approach to modeling electromagnetism that was proposed initially by Weber before data from cathode-ray-tube (CRT) experiments was available. It is shown that identifying the nonlinear, relative-velocity terms using CRT data results in a model, which not only captures standard relativistic effects in optics, high-energy particles, and gravitation, but also explains apparent discrepancies between predicted and measured energy (i) in high-energy-particle absorption experiments and (ii) in the classical beta-ray spectrum of radium-E.