The New Mechanics
摘要
What is it and why are we dealing with a “new mechanics”? Does not the old classical Galilean-Newtonian mechanics correctly describe the motions of bodies, both terrestrial and celestial? Certainly the principles of classical mechanics make it possible to describe the motions of masses under the influence of their mutual gravitation. But are they sufficient if the forces of electricity and magnetism, of light and heat, also come into play?