Einstein's Theories of Relativity and Gravitation by J. Malcolm Bird

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Author Bird, J. Malcolm (James Malcolm), 1886-1964
Other Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955
Title Einstein's Theories of Relativity and Gravitation
A selection of material from the essays submitted in the competition for the Eugene Higgins prize of $5,000
Original Publication United States: Scientific American Publishing Co.,
Munn & Co.,1921.
Note Reading ease score: 53.1 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
Contents The Einstein $5,000 prize: how the contest came to be held, and some of the details of its conduct -- The world--and us: an introductory discussion of the philosophy of relativity, and of the mechanism of our contact with time and space -- The relativity of uniform motion: classical ideas on the subject; the ether and the apparent possibility of absolute motion; the Michelson-Morley experiment and the final negation of this possibility -- The special theory of relativity: what Einstein's study of uniform motion tells us about time and space and the nature of the external reality -- That parallel postulate: modern geometric methods; the dividing line between Euclidean and non-Euclidean; and the significance of the latter -- The space-time continuum: Minkowski's world of events, and the way in which it fits into Einstein's structure -- Relativity: the winning essay in the contest for the Eugene Higgins $5,000 prize -- the new concepts of time and space: the essay in behalf of which the greatest number of dissenting opinions have been recorded -- The principle of relativity: a statement of what it is all about, in ideas of one syllable -- Space, time and gravitation: an outline of Einstein's theory of general relativity -- The principle of general relativity: how Einstein, to a degree never before equalled, isolates the external reality from the observer's contribution -- Force vs. geometry: how Einstein has substituted the second for the first in connection with the cause of gravitation -- An introduction to relativity: a treatment in which the mathematical connections of Einstein's work are brought out more strongly and more successfully than usual in a popular explanation -- New concepts for old: what the world looks like after Einstein has had his way with it -- The New World: a universe in which geometry takes the place of physics, and curvature that of force -- The quest of the absolute: modern developments in theoretical physics, and the climax supplied by Einstein -- The physical side of relativity: the immediate contacts between Einstein's theories and current physics and astronomy -- The practical significance of relativity: the best discussion of the special theory among all the competing essays -- Einstein's theory of relativity: a simple explanation of his postulates and their consequences -- Einstein's theory of gravitation: the discussion of the general theory and its most important application -- The equivalence hypothesis: the discussion of this, with its difficulties and the manner in which Einstein has resolved them -- The general theory: fragments of particular merit on this phase of the subject.
Credits Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project
Gutenberg (This book was produced from scanned images of
public domain material from the Google
Books project.)
Summary "Einstein's Theories of Relativity and Gravitation" by J. Malcolm Bird is a scientific publication written in the early 20th century. This volume compiles and edits a selection of essays submitted for the Eugene Higgins Prize, aimed at explaining the complex theories proposed by Einstein, namely relativity and gravitation, in a way that is comprehensible to the general reader. The book addresses the challenges that laypeople face when trying to grasp these groundbreaking concepts, offering a step-by-step approach to understanding the fundamental principles underlying Einstein's theories. The beginning of the book provides an overview of the context surrounding the essays that are to follow, detailing the setup and purpose of the prize competition aimed at popularizing Einstein's theories. The author emphasizes the necessity of preparing the reader's mind with a solid foundation of scientific knowledge before delving deep into the specificities of relativity and gravitation. In this introduction, Bird outlines the structure of the book, hinting at a thoughtful arrangement designed to incrementally guide readers through introductory philosophical discussions on the nature of reality and perception, followed by the detailed exploration of relativity, ultimately making the complex theories both intriguing and accessible. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class QC: Science: Physics
Subject Relativity (Physics)
Category Text
EBook-No. 63372
Release Date
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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