Nordström, Ehrenfest, and the role of dimensionality in Physics (Q1762608)

The Finnish physicist Gunner Nordström (1881--1923) published the first five-dimensional unified model of the universe. Paul Ehrenfest (1882--1933) also published a paper in 1918 (JFM 46.1151.06) and JFM 47.0703.02 on the connection between the fundamental laws of physics and the three dimensionality of space. In this article, Paul Halpern examines Nordström's and Ehrenfest's collaboration and explore the relationship between their ideas and the Kaluza-Klein model of five-dimensional unification. For this purpose the author divides his article into six sections: (i) Introduction, (ii) Nordström's five-dimensional theory, (iii) The geographical factor, (iv) Nordström in Leiden, (v) Ehrenfest and the dimensionality of physical laws, (vi) Ehrenfest research on higher dimensions. Each section is well written and informative.