| RefNo | MS/603/3/49 |
| Previous numbers | 448 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from Geo Fras [George Francis] Fitzgerald, 7 Ely Place, to [Joseph] Larmor |
| Creator | FitzGerald; George Francis (1851-1901); Irish theoretical physicist |
| Recipient | Larmor; Sir Joseph (1857-1942); Irish theoretical physicist |
| Date | 30 March 1894 |
| Description | Fitzgerald thinks that Larmor is not making enough of the differences between [James] MacCullagh's medium and a perfect fluid. He discusses the behaviour of a vortex ring in a perfect fluid, rotational elasticity, and whether a vortex ring can stand still. He enters into an extended discussion of Larmor's ideas, including the bearing of the work of J.J. [Joseph John] Thomson. He thinks their two theories cannot be different. Fitzgerald notes the very great difficulty of identifying magnetic force with flow. He is convinced that they will need something more definite as to the structure of matter and aether before they can go forward; that magnetic force is more complicated than flow, and electric force more complicated than twist. He explains why he thinks vortex atoms would have no self-propagating motion within his vortex sponge, in that a small vortex ring would become entangled with a vortex filament. He thinks that this also explains why matter atoms cannot be too big, as they would stick in the aether.
With an envelope bearing a postscript. |
| Extent | 10p., and envelope |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA7971 | Fitzgerald; George Francis (1851 - 1901) | 1851 - 1901 |