Ebook: How Einstein Created Relativity out of Physics and Astronomy

This book tracks the history of the theory of relativity through Einstein’s life, with in-depth studies of its background as built upon by ideas from earlier scientists. The focus points of Einstein’s theory of relativity include its development throughout his life; the origins of his ideas and his indebtedness to the earlier works of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Mach and others; the application of the theory to the birth of modern cosmology; and his quest for a unified field theory. Treading a fine line between the popular and technical (but not shying away from the occasional equation), this book explains the entire range of relativity and weaves an up-to-date biography of Einstein throughout. The result is an explanation of the world of relativity, based on an extensive journey into earlier physics and a simultaneous voyage into the mind of Einstein, written for the curious and intelligent reader.

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This book tracks the history of the theory of relativity through Einstein’s life, with in-depth studies of its background as built upon by ideas from earlier scientists. The focus points of Einstein’s theory of relativity include its development throughout his life; the origins of his ideas and his indebtedness to the earlier works of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Mach and others; the application of the theory to the birth of modern cosmology; and his quest for a unified field theory. <br> <br>

Treading a fine line between the technical and popular (but not shying away from the occasional equation), this book explains the entire range of relativity and weaves an up-to-date biography of Einstein throughout. The result is an explanation of the world of relativity, based on an extensive journey into earlier physics and a simultaneous voyage into the mind of Einstein, written for the curious and intelligent reader.

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This book tracks the history of the theory of relativity through Einstein’s life, with in-depth studies of its background as built upon by ideas from earlier scientists. The focus points of Einstein’s theory of relativity include its development throughout his life; the origins of his ideas and his indebtedness to the earlier works of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Mach and others; the application of the theory to the birth of modern cosmology; and his quest for a unified field theory. <br> <br>

Treading a fine line between the technical and popular (but not shying away from the occasional equation), this book explains the entire range of relativity and weaves an up-to-date biography of Einstein throughout. The result is an explanation of the world of relativity, based on an extensive journey into earlier physics and a simultaneous voyage into the mind of Einstein, written for the curious and intelligent reader.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xv
Front Matter....Pages 1-2
Galileo Discovers Inertia & the Relativity of Motion....Pages 3-7
Einstein’s First Famous Thought Experiment....Pages 9-14
Converge, Convert, & Conserve: Physics Before Einstein....Pages 15-23
Front Matter....Pages 25-40
Einstein 1905: The Theory of Relativity Is Born....Pages 41-41
The Michelson-Morley Muddle....Pages 43-47
What Does the Theory Predict?....Pages 49-53
From Railroad Time to Space-Time....Pages 55-65
1911: The Paradox About Time....Pages 67-76
Is the Theory True Today?....Pages 77-78
Front Matter....Pages 79-81
Galileo Discovers How Bodies Fall....Pages 83-84
1907: Einstein’s Second Famous Thought Experiment....Pages 85-88
Enter, Mach’s Principle; or, Seduced by an Idea....Pages 89-96
Einstein’s Epic Intellectual Journey: 1907 to 1915....Pages 97-102
1916: The Great Summation Paper on General Relativity....Pages 103-112
1920: Year of Fame, Year of Infamy....Pages 113-119
1922: What is Time? Bergson Versus Einstein … and The Prize....Pages 121-125
1931: Einstein’s First Visit to Caltech....Pages 127-135
Is the Theory True Today?....Pages 137-141
Front Matter....Pages 143-146
Cosmological Conundrums and Discoveries Since Newton....Pages 147-147
Front Matter....Pages 149-158
Einstein 1917: Modern Cosmology Is Born....Pages 147-147
Three Challenges to Einstein’s Cosmic Model....Pages 159-164
1931: Caltech, Again; Einstein Meets Hubble....Pages 165-169
Cosmology Since 1931: Highlights and Episodes....Pages 171-177
Front Matter....Pages 179-190
Roots of, and Routes Toward, Unification....Pages 191-193
1931: Caltech, Once More....Pages 195-198
Exit, Mach; or, the Perils of Positivism....Pages 199-206
The Quest…and the Quarrel Over Quanta....Pages 207-213
Legacy: From Pariah to Posthumous Prophet....Pages 215-230
Back Matter....Pages 231-234
....Pages 235-254