Status
Available
Local notes
530.1 Sch
Collection
Publication
Pantheon (1990), Edition: Rei, 176 pages
Description
Amusing, irreverent, sophisticated and highly accessible, Einstein for Beginners is the perfect introduction to Einstein's life and thought. Reaching back as far as Babylon (for the origins of mathematics) and the Etruscans (who thought they could handle lightning), this book takes us through the revolutions in electrical communications and technology that made the theory of relativity possible. In the process, we meet scientific luminaries and personalities of imperial Germany, as well as Galileo, Faraday, and Newton; learn why moving clocks run slower than stationary ones, why nothing can go faster than the speed of light; and follow Albert's thought as he works his way toward E = mc2, the most famous equation of the twentieth century.
Original language
English
Original publication date
1979
Physical description
176 p.; 8.24 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member unwinm
A quirky but enjoyable non-mathematical introduction to special relativity, in the inimitable "xxx for Beginners" style. Almost buried amongst all the scrapbook imagery is one of the most succinct and powerful "proofs" of the constant speed of light I have ever seen, presented in what amounts to a
(1) Assume there are no instantaneous interactions in nature, i.e., that all interactions travel at a finite speed.
(2) If so, there must be a maximum possible of interaction.
(3) By the principle of relativity, this speed must be constant for all observers (otherwise you could tell you were moving simply by measuring the speed of light).
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three step syllogism:(1) Assume there are no instantaneous interactions in nature, i.e., that all interactions travel at a finite speed.
(2) If so, there must be a maximum possible of interaction.
(3) By the principle of relativity, this speed must be constant for all observers (otherwise you could tell you were moving simply by measuring the speed of light).
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LibraryThing member Clockwork82736
A FUN and understandable introduction to Einstein, physics, and his contribution to the development of this field. Got me hooked into astrophysics!
LibraryThing member SweetbriarPoet
This book starts off a bit slow with the explanations, but towards the end I found myself incredibly interested in how Einstein's early life affected his accomplishments. Although brief, this book is great for an overview of the theory of relativity and it's context within a historical and
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theoretical framework. Check it out, for sure. Show Less
Pages
176