What is relativity? : an intuitive introduction to Einstein's ideas, and why they matter
Bennett, Jeffrey O.2014
Book
It is commonly assumed that if the Sun suddenly turned into a black hole, it would suck Earth and the rest of the planets into oblivion. Yet, as prominent author and astrophysicist Jeffrey Bennett points out, black holes don't suck. With that simple idea in mind, Bennett begins an entertaining introduction to Einstein's theories of relativity, describing the amazing phenomena readers would actually experience if they took a trip to a black hole. The theory of relativity also reveals the speed of light as the cosmic speed limit, the mind-bending ideas of time dilation and curvature of spacetime, and what may be the most famous equation in history: E = mc2. Indeed, the theory of relativity shapes much of our modern understanding of the universe. It is not 'just a theory' -- every major prediction of relativity has been tested to exquisite precision, and its practical applications include the Global Positioning System (GPS). His intuitive, nonmathematical approach gives a wide audience its first real taste of how relativity works and why it is so important to science and the way we view ourselves as human beings.
Main title:
Author:
Imprint:
New York : Columbia University Press, [2014], c2014.New York : Columbia University Press, [2014]©2014.
Collation:
viii, 192 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
Part 1. Getting started -- 1. Voyage to a black hole -- Part 2. Einstein's special theory of relativity -- 2. Racing light -- 3. Redefining space and time -- 4. A new common sense -- Part 3. Einstein's general theory of relativity -- 5. Newton's absurdity -- 6. Redefining gravity -- Part 4. Implications of relativity -- 7. Black holes -- 8. The expanding universe -- Epilogue: your indelible mark on the universe.
ISBN:
9780231167260
Dewey class:
530.11
Language:
English
BRN:
144714
| Location | Collection | Call number | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Library at the Dock | -Science and Nature | SCIENCE 530.11 BENN | On loan - Due: 04 Jul 2026 |