Self-Force and Inertia: Old Light on New Ideas (Lecture Notes in Physics)

The vast majority of particles in particle physics are today considered to be bound states of other particles. All forms of binding energy and kinetic energy in such a state have to be included in its inertial mass. This book revives the classical explanation for this in the case of electromagnetic interactions. But it is also a reminder of the many benefits of this classical understanding that are simply dropped in modern accounts of inertia. This is a book for the motivated student who feels it is useful to remember where our theories come from. There is also a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in particle physics.