J. C. Poggendorff: Comment on the Paper by Prof. Kirchhoff (translated and edited by A. K. T. Assis)

TL;DR

This paper comments on Kirchhoff's 1857 work on electric wave propagation in wires, highlighting the historical context and the early derivation of the telegraphy equation considering self-inductance, showing wave propagation at light speed.

Contribution

It provides a historical analysis and commentary on Kirchhoff's early derivation of the telegraphy equation and its relation to Weber's electrodynamics, emphasizing the foundational understanding of electric wave propagation.

Findings

Kirchhoff and Weber deduced the telegraphy equation considering self-inductance.

Electric waves in wires propagate at light velocity when resistance is negligible.

Historical context of early electrodynamics and wave propagation theories.

Abstract

Editor's Note: An English translation of J. C. Poggendorff's 1857 paper "Bemerkung zu dem Aufsatz des Herrn Prof. Kirchhoff", [Pog57]. This paper is related to Kirchhoff's 1857 paper "On the motion of electricity in wires", [Kir57b] with English translation in [Kir57a], and to Weber's 1864 paper "Electrodynamic measurements, especially on electric oscillations", [Web64] with English translation in [Web21a]. Kirchhoff and Weber were the first to deduce the telegraphy equation by taking into account the self-inductance of the wire. Both of them worked with Weber's electrodynamics. They showed, in particular, that when the resistance of the wire was negligible, the electric wave propagates with light velocity.