CHAPTER VII
WEIGHING LIGHT
Newton, Opticks.
We come now to the experimental test of the influence of gravitation on light discussed theoretically in the last chapter. It is not the general purpose of this book to enter into details of experiments; and if we followed this plan consistently, we should, as hitherto, summarise the results of the observations in a few lines. But it is this particular test which has turned public attention towards the relativity theory, and there appears to be widespread desire for information. We shall therefore tell the story of the eclipse expeditions in some detail. It will make a break in the long theoretical arguments, and will illustrate the important applications of this theory to practical observations.
It must be understood that there were two questions to answer: firstly, whether light has weight (as suggested by Newton), or is indifferent to gravitation; secondly, if it has weight, is the amount of the deflection in accordance with Einstein's or Newton's laws?
It was already known that light possesses mass or inertia like other forms of electromagnetic energy. This is manifested in the phenomena of radiation-pressure. Some force is required to stop a beam of light by holding an obstacle in its path; a searchlight experiences a minute force of recoil just as if it were a machine-gun firing material projectiles. The force, which is predicted by orthodox electromagnetic theory, is exceedingly minute; but delicate experiments have detected it. Probably this inertia of radiation is of great cosmical importance, playing a great part in the equilibrium of the more diffuse stars. Indeed it is probably the agent which has carved the material of the universe into stars of roughly uniform mass. Possibly the tails of comets are a witness to the power of the momentum of sun-
