Physicist Wolfson explores the ideas at the heart of relativity and shows how they lead to such seeming absurdities as time travel, curved space, black holes, and new meaning for the idea of past and future. He explains in a lively, conversational style the simple principles underlying Einstein's theory. 48 illustrations.
With this reader-friendly book, it doesn't take an Einstein to understand the theory of relativity and its remarkable consequences. In clear, understandable terms, physicist Richard Wolfson explores the ideas at the heart of relativity and shows how they lead to such seeming absurdities as time travel, curved space, black holes, and new meaning for the idea of past and future. Drawing from years of teaching modern physics to nonscientists, Wolfson explains in a lively, conversational style the simple principles underlying Einstein's theory. Relativity, Wolfson shows, gave us a new view of space and time, opening the door to questions about their flexible nature: Is the universe finite or infinite? Will it expand forever or eventually collapse in a "big crunch"? Is time travel possible? What goes on inside a black hole? How does gravity really work? These questions at the forefront of twenty-first-century physics are all rooted in the profound and sweeping vision of Albert Einstein's early twentieth-century theory. Wolfson leads his readers on an intellectual journey that culminates in a universe made almost unimaginably rich by the principles that Einstein first discovered.
Genius demystified, the Dummies way! In 1905, Albert Einstein revolutionized modern physics with his theory of relativity. He went on to become a twentieth-century icon-a man whose name and face are synonymous with "genius." Now, at last, ordinary readers can explore Einstein's life and work in this new For Dummies guide. Physicist Carlos Calle chronicles Einstein's career and explains his work-including the theories of special and general relativity-in language that anyone can understand. He shows how Einstein's discoveries affected everything from the development of the atom bomb to the theory of quantum mechanics. He sheds light on Einstein's personal life and beliefs, including his views on religion and politics. And he shows how Einstein's work continues to affect our world today, from nuclear power to space travel to artificial intelligence.
In Relativity Demystified a physicist explains Einstein's theory of relativity in layman's terms, minus heavy-duty discussion or formal mathematics. Author David McMahon gradually builds up readers' practical skills to a point where they can eventually solve real problems in the field of general relativity. The book offers examples that vary in complexity from textbook-like problems to real-world situations from actual current research. Relativity Demystified also focused on quick definitions and demonstrations of procedures needed to solve problems.
'Outstanding Academic Title for 2014' by CHOICEEinstein Relatively Simple brings together for the first time an exceptionally clear explanation of both special and general relativity. It is for people who always wanted to understand Einstein's ideas but never thought they could.Told with humor, enthusiasm, and rare clarity, this entertaining book reveals how a former high school drop-out revolutionized our understanding of space and time. From E=mc2 and everyday time travel to black holes and the big bang, Einstein Relatively Simple takes us all, regardless of our scientific backgrounds, on a mind-boggling journey through the depths of Einstein's universe. Along the way, we track Einstein through the perils and triumphs of his life — follow his thinking, his logic, and his insights — and chronicle the audacity, imagination, and sheer genius of the man recognized as the greatest scientist of the modern era.In Part I on special relativity we learn how time slows and space shrinks with motion, and how mass and energy are equivalent. Part II on general relativity reveals a cosmos where black holes trap light and stop time, where wormholes form gravitational time machines, where space itself is continually expanding, and where some 13.7 billion years ago our universe was born in the ultimate cosmic event — the Big Bang.
Brief Description: The goal of Essential College Physics is to provide a book focused on essential principles--a shorter, more focused book that better addresses the learning needs of today's readers while more effectively guiding them through the mastery of physics. Brevity does not need to come at the expense of reader learning. This book is designed from the ground up to be concise and focused, resulting in a book less intimidating and easier to use, with well-coordinated explanations, art, worked examples, and end-of-chapter problems. It incorporates an overarching connected approach: connecting ideas within and across chapters; connecting physics with the real world; connecting words and math; and connecting with how today's readers learn and how they use their book. In addition to providing a strong foundation that teaches physics principles, the book also focuses on building readers' problem-solving skills. The friendly, integrated approach, combined with the low price, makes Essential College Physics an invaluable book choice. Key Topics: Measurements in Physics, Motion in One Dimension, Motion in Two Dimensions, Force and Newton's Laws of Motion, Work and Energy, Momentum and Collisions, Oscillations, Rotational Motion, Gravitation, Solids and Fluids, Waves and Sound, Temperature, Thermal Expansion, and Ideal Gases, Heat, The Laws of Thermodynamics, Electric Charges, Forces, and Fields, Electric Energy, Potential, and Capacitors, Electric Current, Resistance, and Circuits, Magnetic Fields and Forces, Electromagnetic Induction and AC Circuits, Electromagnetic Waves and Special Relativity, Geometrical Optics, Wave Optics, Early Modern Physics, Atomic Physics, Nuclear Physics, Elementary Particles Market: Intended for those interested in learning the basics of college physics
Learn quantum field theory relatively easily Trying to comprehend quantum field theory but don't have infinite time or the IQ of Einstein? No problem! This easy-to-follow guide helps you understand this complex subject matter without spending a lot of energy. Quantum Field Theory Demystified covers essential principles such as particle physics and special relativity. You'll learn about Lagrangian field theory, group theory, and electroweak theory. The book also explains continuous and discrete symmetries, spontaneous symmetry breaking, and supersymmetry. With thorough coverage of the mathematics of quantum field theory and featuring end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam to test your knowledge, this book will teach you the fundamentals of this theoretical framework in no time at all. This fast and easy guide offers: Numerous figures to illustrate key concepts Sample equations with worked solutions Coverage of quantum numbers Details on the Dirac equation, the Feynman rules, and the Higgs mechanism A time-saving approach to performing better on an exam or at work Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Quantum Field Theory Demystified is your shortcut to understanding this fascinating area of physics.
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK The Babylonians invented it, the Greeks banned it, the Hindus worshipped it, and the Christian Church used it to fend off heretics. Today it's a timebomb ticking in the heart of astrophysics. For zero, infinity's twin, is not like other numbers. It is both nothing and everything. Zero has pitted East against West and faith against reason, and its intransigence persists in the dark core of a black hole and the brilliant flash of the Big Bang. Today, zero lies at the heart of one of the biggest scientific controversies of all time: the quest for a theory of everything. Within the concept of zero lies a philosophical and scientific history of humanity. Charles Seife's elegant and witty account takes us from Aristotle to superstring theory by way of Egyptian geometry, Kabbalism, Einstein, the Chandrasekhar limit and Stephen Hawking. Covering centuries of thought, it is a concise tour of a world of ideas, bound up in the simple notion of nothing.
Modern physics was born from two great revolutions: relativity and the quantum theory. Relativity imposed a locality constraint on physical theories: since nothing can go faster than light, very distant events cannot influence one another. Only in the last few decades has it become clear that the quantum theory violates this constraint. The work of J.S. Bell has demonstrated that no local theory can return the predictions of quantum theory. Thus it would seem that the central pillars of modern physics are contradictory.