Relativity

by Einstein, Albert

• ISBN13: 9780879759797
• ISBN10: 0879759798
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 1995-06-01
• Publisher: Prometheus Books

Summary

Time's 'Man of the Century', Albert Einstein is the unquestioned founder of modern physics. His theory of relativity is the most important scientific idea of the modern era. In this short book Einstein explains, using the minimum of mathematical terms, the basic ideas and principles of the theory which has shaped the world we live in today. Unsurpassed by any subsequent books on relativity, this remains the most popular and useful exposition of Einstein's immense contribution to human knowledge.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
The Special Theory of Relativity
Physical Meaning of Geometrical Propositions	p. 3
The System of Co-ordinates	p. 6
Space and Time in Classical Mechanics	p. 10
The Galileian System of Co-ordinates	p. 12
The Principle of Relativity (in the Restricted Sense)	p. 14
The Theorem of the Addition of Velocities Employed in Classical Mechanics	p. 18
The Apparent Incompatibility of the Law of Propagation of Light with the Principle of Relativity	p. 20
On the Idea of Time in Physics	p. 23
The Relativity of Simultaneity	p. 27
On the Relativity of the Conception of Distance	p. 30
The Lorentz Transformation	p. 32
The Behaviour of Measuring-Rods and Clocks in Motion	p. 37
Theorem of the Addition of Velocities. The Experiment of Fizeau	p. 40
The Heuristic Value of the Theory of Relativity	p. 44
General Results of the Theory	p. 46
Experience and the Special Theory of Relativity	p. 51
Minkowski's Four-dimensional Space	p. 56
The General Theory of Relativity
Special and General Principle of Relativity	p. 61
The Gravitational Field	p. 65
The Equality of Inertial and Gravitational Mass as an Argument for the General Postulate of Relativity	p. 68
In what Respects are the Foundations of Classical Mechanics and of the Special Theory of Relativity Unsatisfactory?	p. 72
A Few Inferences from the General Principle of Relativity	p. 75
Behaviour of Clocks and Measuring-Rods on a Rotating Body of Reference	p. 79
Euclidean and non-Euclidean Continuum	p. 83
Gaussian Co-ordinates	p. 87
The Space-Time Continuum of the Special Theory of Relativity Considered as a Euclidean Continuum	p. 91
The Space-Time Continuum of the General Theory of Relativity is not a Euclidean Continuum	p. 94
Exact Formulation of the General Principle of Relativity	p. 97
The Solution of the Problem of Gravitation on the Basis of the General Principle of Relativity	p. 100
Considerations on the Universe as a Whole
Cosmological Difficulties of Newton's Theory	p. 107
The Possibility of a "Finite" and yet "Unbounded" Universe	p. 110
The Structure of Space according to the General Theory of Relativity	p. 115
Appendices
Simple Derivation of the Lorentz Transformation [Supplementary to Section 11]	p. 117
Minkowski's Four-dimensional Space ("World") [Supplementary to Section 17]	p. 124
The Experimental Confirmation of the General Theory of Relativity	p. 126
Motion of the Perihelion of Mercury	p. 127
Deflection of Light by a Gravitational Field	p. 129
Displacement of Spectral Lines towards the Red	p. 132
The Structure of Space according to the General Theory of Relativity [Supplementary to Section 32]	p. 136
Relativity and the Problem of Space	p. 139
Bibliography	p. 159
Index	p. 161
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