Volume 2: The Swiss Years: Writings, 1900-1909 (English translation supplement)
Page399(413 of 416)
DOC. 62 399 Doc. 62 "Discussion" following lecture version of Fritz Hasenöhrl, "On the Transformation of Kinetic Energy into Radiation" [Physikalische Zeitschrift 10 (1909): 830] [1] Einstein: Of course, in this case the irregular fluctuations would be exactly such that Maxwell's distribution law would be maintained, i.e., that the damping would be compensated by the irregular impacts. Lecturer: I am not sure that I understand you correctly. You mean, if you think of a closed container, and particles are moving in it, that they wouldn't be damped by radiation at all? Einstein: That's right. Lecturer: I am getting noticeable damping of motion only after a practically infinite time. Planck: The two gentlemen start out from different assumptions. The lecturer considers an entirely uniform radiation intensity, while Mr. Einstein considers radiation fluctuations, and therefore he also gets fluctuations in the resulting effects, i.e., not a complete damping. [3] [2]