Relativity: The Special and General Theory

Front Cover
Courier Corporation, Jan 1, 2001 - Science - 168 pages

From the age of Galileo until the early years of the 20th century, scientists grappled with seemingly insurmountable paradoxes inherent in the theories of classical physics. With the publication of Albert Einstein's "special" and "general" theories of relativity, however, traditional approaches to solving the riddles of space and time crumbled. In their place stood a radically new view of the physical world, providing answers to many of the unsolved mysteries of pre-Einsteinian physics.
Acclaimed as the pinnacle of scientific philosophy, the theories of relativity tend to be regarded as the exclusive domain of highly trained scientific minds. The great physicist himself disclaimed this exclusionary view, and in this book, he explains both theories in their simplest and most intelligible form for the layman not versed in the mathematical foundations of theoretical physics.
In addition to the theories themselves, this book contains a final part presenting fascinating considerations on the universe as a whole. Appendices cover the simple derivation of the Lorentz transformation, Minkowski's four-dimensional space, and the experimental confirmation of the general theory of relativity. Students, teachers, and other scientifically minded readers will appreciate this inexpensive and accessible interpretation of one of the world's greatest intellectual accomplishments.

 

Selected pages

Contents

PART
1
Space and Time in Classical Mechanics
9
The Theorem of the Addition of Velocities
19
On the Idea of Time in Physics
25
The Lorentz Transformation
36
The Behaviour of MeasuringRods
42
The Heuristic Value of the Theory
50
Experience and the Special Theory
58
In what Respects are the Foundations
84
Behaviour of Clocks and MeasuringRods
93
Theory of Relativity considered as
108
The Spacetime Continuum of the General
111
The Solution of the Problem of Gravi
119
PART III
125
The Structure of Space according to
135
Minkowskis Fourdimensional Space World
146

Minkowskis Fourdimensional Space
65
The Gravitational Field
74
BIBLIOGRAPHY
161
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Relativity: The Special and the General Theory
Albert Einstein,Robert W. Lawson
Limited preview - 2001
Relativity: The Special and the General Theory
Albert Einstein,Robert W. Lawson
Limited preview - 2001
Relativity: The Special and General Theory
Albert Einstein
Snippet view - 2007
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Common terms and phrases

accelerated according æther body of reference chest classical mechanics corresponding disc distance domain earth Einstein electrodynamics ellipse emitted equations Euclidean geometry event with respect experience finite fixed stars four-dimensional fundamental Galilei transformation Galileian reference-body Galileian system gravitational field hold hypothesis illustrations imagine inertial mass law of propagation laws of nature length light in vacuo light relative little rods Lorentz transformation magnitudes manner marble slab material points mathematical matter means measured ment motion observer obtained photographs physical physicist plane position postulate of relativity principle of relativity propagation of light radius railway carriage railway embankment ray of light reality reference-body co-ordinate system regard rela RELATIVITY OF SIMULTANEITY result rigid body rotating satisfied space-time continuum special theory spectral lines spherical statement straight line surface system of co-ordinates takes place theoretical theory of relativity tion train transmission of light universe validity velocity of light velocity of propagation x-axis

References to this book

About the author (2001)

In addition to conducting the research that culminated in his acclaimed theories of relativity, Albert Einstein (1879-1955) taught and lectured at universities around the world. Einstein received numerous awards and honorary doctorate degrees in science, medicine, and philosophy, and he remains a towering symbol of intellectual and imaginative achievement.

It's All Relative
Around 1950, Hayward Cirker, Founder and President of Dover Publications, wrote to Einstein and asked his approval to proceed with a Dover paperback reprint of the 1923 collection of original papers on relativity by Einstein himself and others (H. A. Lorentz, H. Weyl, and H. Minkowski), which had originally been published in England. Einstein was reluctant, wondering how much interest there could possibly be in this relic of his work from 30 or more years earlier. Cirker persisted, and Einstein finally agreed — the Dover edition of The Theory of Relativity has been in print ever since and has been followed by many other Dover books on relativity.

The papers reprinted in this original collection will always be for the serious student the cornerstone of their Einstein library: Michelson's Interference Experiment (H. A. Lorentz); Electromagnetic Phenomena in a System Moving with any Velocity Less Than That of Light (H.A. Lorentz); On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies (A. Einstein); Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon its Energy Content? (A. Einstein); Space and Time (H. Minkowksi with notes by A. Sommerfeld); On the Influence of Gravitation on the Propagation of Light (A. Einstein); and The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity (A. Einstein) found on pages 109–164 of this text; Hamilton's Principle and The General Theory of Relativity (A. Einstein); Cosmological Considerations on the General Theory of Relativity (A. Einstein); Do Gravitational Fields Play an Essential Part in the Structure of the Elementary Particles of Matter? (A. Einstein); and Gravitation and Electricity (H. Weyl).

In the Author's Own Words:
"How can it be that mathematics, being after all a product of human thought independent of experience, is so admirably adapted to the objects of reality?"

"What nature demands from us is not a quantum theory or a wave theory; rather, nature demands from us a synthesis of these two views which thus far has exceeded the mental powers of physicists."

"Do not be troubled by your difficulties with Mathematics, I can assure you mine are much greater." — Albert Einstein

Critical Acclaim for The Theory of Relativity:
"This book constitutes an indispensable part of a library on relativity." — Nature





Bibliographic information

TitleRelativity: The Special and General Theory
Dover Books on Physics
AuthorsAlbert Einstein, Robert W. Lawson
Editionillustrated, reprint
PublisherCourier Corporation, 2001
ISBN048641714X, 9780486417141
Length168 pages
Subjects ›  › 

History / General
Science / Astronomy
Science / Physics / General
Science / Physics / Relativity
  
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