Electromagnetic Basis of Gravity and Inertia in Classical Systems

This paper proposes a reinterpretation of gravity and inertia within a purely classical framework, identifying electromagnetic field energy as the sole physical basis for all observable motion in ordinary matter. It shows that the spatial structure of electromagnetic fields mirrors gravitational fields, that mass and inertia arise from electromagnetic interactions, and that relativistic effects such as time dilation and length contraction emerge from electromagnetic field energy. The framework defines a cumulative background potential based on the sum of electromagnetic fields from all constituent charges in ordinary matter, providing a mapping between electromagnetic and gravitational potentials consistent with general relativity. It explains why gravitational effects appear weak—arising from the collective influence of vast numbers of fluctuating charges—and demonstrates that this approach requires no forces beyond electromagnetism to account for classical mechanical and gravitational phenomena. While consistent with all existing observations, this reinterpretation invites future investigation into possible testable differences in strong-field regimes, quantum mechanical contexts, and interactions involving non-baryonic matter.