Electrodynamic checks of the equivalence principle

In summary, the Einstein Equivalence Principle is a statement that states that the effects of gravity on light and charged particles are the same.
  • #1
lalbatros
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Hello,

I would like to know if there are experimental tests of the Equivalence Principle in the realm of electrodynamics. The book by http://books.google.com/books?id=Bh...eriment+in+Gravitational+Physics&lr=#PPP1,M1" contains a lot of material about the equivalence principle. The Einstein Equivalence Principle is of course defined and it clearly extends the weak equivalence principle to any possible experiments in accelerated frames or in the presence of a gravitational field.

However, I could not find any description of an experimental test of the EEP in the domain of electrodynamics.

Would you know some?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
The very first experimental test of the equivalence principle was in the field of electrodynamics, i.e. the effect of gravity on light. Einstein predicted that gravity would bend light, and this was tested in a famous experiment by Eddington. Another effect on electrodynamics is the gravitational redshift of light. This was tested very precisely using the Mossbauer effect in 1959. These same effects are also predicted by quantum electrodynamics in exact agreement with general relativity, and quantum electrodynamics is the most accurately tested theory we currently have, so you can consider this consistency also as a check of the equivalence principle.
 
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  • #3
Thanks dx,

Indeed light is the first example!
However, I was more thinking to charged particles.

I found a direct experiment on the free fall of electrons: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1967PhRvL..19.1049W".
See also: http://books.google.com/books?id=8yAssyaLq2sC&pg=PA264&lpg=PA264&dq=%22Experimental+comparison+of+the+gravitational+force+on+freely+falling+electrons+and+metallic+electrons%22&source=web&ots=IXvQQpZD7A&sig=E6kaONtu4GO6qFIcNESlAkdc7LY&hl=en&ei=CRCMSZCLENKX_gaJvbTBDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPR8,M1"
I only read the abstract, but it looks quite interresting although also rather limited and unprecise.

But since atoms are made of charged particles, would there be something to look at in atomic physics?

Thanks already.
 
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FAQ: Electrodynamic checks of the equivalence principle

1. What is the equivalence principle?

The equivalence principle is a fundamental concept in physics that states that the effects of gravity are indistinguishable from the effects of acceleration. This means that an object's motion in a gravitational field is the same as its motion in an accelerated frame of reference.

2. What is an electrodynamic check of the equivalence principle?

An electrodynamic check of the equivalence principle is an experiment designed to test whether the effects of gravity on charged particles are equivalent to the effects of acceleration on those same particles. This is done by measuring the motion of charged particles in a gravitational field and comparing it to their motion in an accelerated frame.

3. How is the equivalence principle related to general relativity?

The equivalence principle is a key principle in Einstein's theory of general relativity. It forms the basis for the theory's description of gravity as the curvature of spacetime, and is crucial for understanding the behavior of matter and energy in the presence of strong gravitational fields.

4. Why is it important to test the equivalence principle?

Testing the equivalence principle is important because it helps us to further understand the fundamental laws of physics and the behavior of matter and energy in different situations. It also allows us to verify the predictions of general relativity and potentially uncover any discrepancies that may lead to new discoveries or modifications to the theory.

5. What are some examples of electrodynamic checks of the equivalence principle?

One example is the Eötvös experiment, which compares the gravitational acceleration of two different substances with different charge-to-mass ratios. Another example is the Lunar Laser Ranging experiment, which measures the motion of the Moon in Earth's gravitational field to test the equivalence principle on a larger scale.

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