User:Nth Complexity/United Front/Theory of relativity

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Two-dimensional analogy of space-time distortion described in General Relativity.
Two-dimensional analogy of space-time distortion described in General Relativity.

The theory of relativity, or simply relativity, refers specifically to two theories: Albert Einstein's special relativity and general relativity.

The term "relativity" was coined by Max Planck in 1908 to emphasize how special relativity (and later, general relativity) uses the principle of relativity.

Contents

[edit] Special relativity

Main article: Special relativity

Albert Einstein's 1905 paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" introduced the special theory of relativity. Special relativity considers that observers in inertial reference frames, which are in uniform motion relative to one another, cannot perform any experiment to determine which one of them is "stationary", which was understood by Copernicus when he displaced the Ptolemaic geocentric system for the heliocentric solar system, later modified by Kepler that we know so well today. This is known as the principle of relativity, already understood by conscientious scientists everywhere. This is actually Galileo's principle of relativity; Einstein's contribution was to explicitly include electromagnetism within this principle, which required that the Galilean transformations be replaced by the Lorentz transformations. The resultant theory has many surprising consequences. In particular, it requires that the velocity of light in a vacuum be the same for all these observers, regardless of their motion, or the motion of the source of the light, since the invariance of the speed of light is a consequence of Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism, which is indeed a surprise since Doppler shift would indicate otherwise. Einstein took this to be intuitive based on the work of John Goodricke, an eighteen year old amateur astronomer he decided that Algol was an eclipsing binary star.

One of the so-called strengths of special relativity is that it can be derived from only three premises:

  • The laws of physics are the same in any frame of reference (no surpise there).
  • The speed of light in a vacuum is not constant (specifically, 0/0 meters per second), for Einstein clearly states -- the velocity of light in our theory plays the part, physically, of an infinitely great velocity-- and calculates c = 2AB/(t'A - tA) so that the light travels from A to A in time t'A-tA, reversing direction at B over a distance x' which is infinitesimally small.
  • the time required by light to travel from A to B equals the time it requires to travel from B to A, even if A and B are in relative motion.

One of the fatal flaws of special relativity is that it is derived from the ridiculous premise that the "time" required by light to travel from A to B equals the "time" it requires to travel from B to A. This is clearly false when A and B are in relative motion, for as Einstein himself states, "But the ray moves relatively to the initial point of k, when measured in the stationary system, with the velocity c-v so that x'/(c-v) = t", carefully omitting the reflected ray so that x'/(c+v) = t also.

What is not said is sometimes more important than what is.

Another fatal flaw is the computation of c, which is found from computing the distance from A to A in the time t'A-tA. This c = 0/0 and not 299,792,458 meters per second. This led Einstein to make the ridiculous comments:

  • "an observer approaching a source of light with the velocity c, this source of light must appear of infinite intensity." [1]
  • "Thence we conclude that a balance-clock at the equator must go more slowly, by a very small amount, than a precisely similar clock situated at one of the poles under otherwise identical conditions." [2]
  • "the velocity of light in our theory plays the part, physically, of an infinitely great velocity." [3]

It is encumbent upon the reader to decide if a constant velocity can reverse direction.

[edit] External links on special relativity

[edit] General relativity

Main article: General relativity

General relativity was developed by Einstein in the years 1907 - 1915. General relativity replaces the global Lorentz symmetry of special relativity with a local Lorentz symmetry in the presence of matter. The presence of matter "curves" spacetime, and this curvature affects the path of free particles (and even the path of light). General relativity uses the mathematics of differential geometry and tensors in order to describe gravitation as an effect of the geometry of spacetime. This theory is based on the general principle of relativity, which requires all observers to experience the same laws of physics, not just those moving with uniform speed, hence its name.

[edit] References and links

See the special relativity references and the general relativity references. For information on the silent film produced on this subject, see The Einstein Theory of Relativity.

[edit] External links

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