Volume 20: Pages 131-141, 2007

Lorentz‐Contracted Space as an Origin of Gravitational and Quantum‐Mechanical Effects

Morgan D. Rosenberg ¹

¹3001 Park Center Drive, #509, Alexandria, Virginia 22302 U.S.A.

Through application of the equivalence principle, we state that if a compression of space, through Lorentz contraction, creates a potential energy equivalent to the relativistic energy gain associated with the Lorentz mass gain, then a potential energy, such as that caused by the gravitational field, must result in a corresponding compression of space. By equating the Lorentz potential energy to the gravitational potential energy, we are able to derive the formulas for gravitational time dilation, gravitational redshift, gravitational lensing, orbital motion, and the 43 arc second per century precessional rate of Mercury, all as predicted by general relativity. The origins of Newton's law of universal gravitation, inertia and cosmological expansion, or “dark energy,” are further derived from the contraction/compression model. Further, through another application of the equivalence principle, we state that if mass produces compression in space, then a compression in space results in what we detect as mass. Such a compression can be represented as a spherically symmetric compression wave with the de Broglie wavelength, thus providing an origin for the quantum nature of particles. All of the above derivations are performed with basic mathematics without reliance on the grossly complex Riemannian geometry needed for Einstein's curved space‐time model.

Keywords: general relativity, special relativity, gravitation, quantum mechanics, Lorentz contraction, gravitational lensing, wave mechanics, inertia

Received: September 20, 2006; Published Online: January 8, 2009