Abstract
Before we get to Einstein’s Relativity, we should start with Isaac Newton, who was another genius and also, in his own way, a relativist. Many, including ourselves, feel that Newton and Einstein were the greatest physics geniuses of all time.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Imagine a set of three mutually perpendicular sticks with markings at one centimeter intervals. This constitutes a reference frame. A particle’s position is specified by its three-number set of position coordinates relative to this frame.
- 2.
In physics, the word “velocity” takes on a very specific meaning; it has two aspects, speed that only tells you how fast the object is moving and second, direction, which way it is headed at that instant. It is indicated in physics diagrams by an arrow pointing in the motion direction with length of arrow indicating the degree of speed.
- 3.
Some researchers have dealt with higher-dimensional spacetimes but primarily with having the extra dimensions curled up into such an incredibly small size that they are beyond our ability to detect them.
- 4.
In fact this phenomenon will serve as part of our lead-in to an understanding of General Relativity.
- 5.
Other experiments bring out the dual particle character of light. See the photo-electric effect discussed later.
- 6.
As an interesting extreme example, if the swimmer’s speed relative to the river were the same as the speed of the river relative to the bank, for the observers on the bank the swimmer would appear to undergo no advancement at all when he swims upstream. His arms and legs would be flaying but he would be going nowhere relative to the observers on the river-bank!
- 7.
To get a simple picture of constructive and destructive interference, consider how one “interferes” with the motion of a child on a swing in the playground. To provide (maximum) “constructive” interference, that is to make the swing go higher and higher, one provides a push on the swing at the point in each cycle when the swing is at its highest point, in phase with the motion. By contrast, one renders “destructive” interference when one provides a push when the swing is still in motion towards the position of the pusher, that is out of phase with the motion. The latter has the effect of damping the swing motion.
- 8.
More generally, the family of electromagnetic waves, of which light is a member.
- 9.
Whether this limit also applies to the speed at which information can be propagated becomes more involved in the strange world of quantum mechanics, as we will discuss later.
- 10.
Frequency, or cycles per second, with symbol \(\nu \) is inversely proportional to wavelength with symbol \(\lambda \) and the product of the two is \(c\), or in equation form, \(\lambda \nu =c\). It can be seen as follows: \(\lambda \) is the advance in distance per cycle and \(\nu \) is the cycle advance per second, hence the cycles cancel in the product leaving distance advance per second or velocity which is \(c\).
- 11.
A kilohertz, kHz, is a thousand cycles (or wiggles) per second. A megahertz, MHz, is a million cycles per second. A gigahertz, GHz, is a billion cycles per second.
- 12.
Einstein was awarded his one and only Nobel Prize for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. Many have argued that he should have been awarded at least three Nobel Prizes.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cooperstock, F.I., Tieu, S. (2012). Preliminary Aspects of Classical Physics. In: Einstein's Relativity. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30385-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30385-2_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-30384-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-30385-2
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)