Relativity and Common Sense: A New Approach To Einstein

✍ Scribed by Hermann Bondi

• Publisher: Dover
• Year: December 1
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 210
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This radically reoriented and popular presentation of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity derives its concepts from Newtonian ideas rather than by opposing them. Sir Hermann Bondi explains the concepts of force, momentum, rotation, sound, and light and their relation to velocity. He then demonstrates that time is relative rather than absolute, that high speeds affect the nature of time, and that acceleration affects speed, time, and mass. Very little mathematics is required, and 60 illustrations augment the text.

The fact that Einstein's Theory of Relativity has been considered something strange and revolutionary is due, according to Professor Bondi, to several commonsense though erroneous notions about velocity, light, and time. By viewing Newtonian physics in a different manner, a much more comprehensible picture of Relativity could be established with little trouble. This volume proceeds to do just that, offering a radically reoriented presentation of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity that derives Relativity "from" Newtonian ideas, rather than "in opposition to" them. It is one of the most valuable popular accounts available.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Title Page
......Page 7
Copyright
......Page 9
Preface
......Page 11
Table of Contents
......Page 13
Chapter 1: On The Shoulders of Giants
......Page 18
Chapter 2: Momentum
......Page 26
Chapter 3: Rotation
......Page 34
Chapter 4: Light
......Page 46
Chapter 5: Propagationof Sound Waves
......Page 56
Chapter 6: The Uniqueness of Light
......Page 68
Chapter 7: On Common Sense
......Page 78
Chapter 8: The Nature of Time
......Page 88
Chapter 9: Velocity
......Page 110
Chapter 10: Coordinates and the Lorentz Transformation
......Page 126
Chapter 11: Faster Than Light?
......Page 146
Chapter 12: Acceleration
......Page 164
Chapter 13: Putting On Mass
......Page 172
INDEX
......Page 186
Catalogue of Selected Dover Books
......Page 196