ON THE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE POTENTIAL-ENERGY OF MASS SYSTEMS

A gravitation theory is constructed taking the thermodynamic and poten tial energy into account and also the phenomenon of weightlessness, us ing the presence of a potential energy, which is additionally justifie d theoretically and experimentally. A theory of the motion of gravitat ing masses in the Special Theory of Relativity is proposed for absolut e and relative motion using proper times for the individual masses. Th is theory touches directly on Newtonian theory, but differs from it an d from the General Theory of Relativity (in particular, when the rotat ion of the masses and also weightlessness are taken into account). A g ravitation theory that is covariant in the Fermi variables and invaria nt under Lorentz transformations is constructed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd.