The present book is intended, as far as possible, to give an exact insight into the theory of relativity to those readers who, from a general scientific and philosophical point of view, are interested in the theory, but who are not conversant with the mathematical apparatus of theoretical physics. The text is divided into three parts which deal respectively with the special theory of relativity, with the general theory of relativity, and with considerations on the universe as a whole. The special theory deals with the physics of elementary particles while the general theory is concerned with the force of gravity and its effect on the other forces of nature. These two theories, while exceptional in their explanations of their particular focus, are inconsistent with each other, and it has long been an aim of the science of physics to help resolve these inconsistencies. Einstein proposed that, rather than discarding these two principles for being conflicting, the rules of time and space should be completely revamped and rethought in order to find a way to make these two principles work in harmony. It is Einstein's work on relativity which would earn him the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics and establish his legacy as one of the most famous scientists of all time. This edition is translated by Robert W. Lawson and is printed on premium acid-free paper.
A century of extraordinary physics, explained in three fabulously readable books. How did theory, experiment, personalities, politics, and chance combine in the development of quantum theory, and the discovery of the Higgs Boson - the so-called God Particle?
The contributions gathered here demonstrate how categorical ontology can provide a basis for linking three important basic sciences: mathematics, physics, and philosophy. Category theory is a new formal ontology that shifts the main focus from objects to processes. The book approaches formal ontology in the original sense put forward by the philosopher Edmund Husserl, namely as a science that deals with entities that can be exemplified in all spheres and domains of reality. It is a dynamic, processual, and non-substantial ontology in which all entities can be treated as transformations, and in which objects are merely the sources and aims of these transformations. Thus, in a rather surprising way, when employed as a formal ontology, category theory can unite seemingly disparate disciplines in contemporary science and the humanities, such as physics, mathematics and philosophy, but also computer and complex systems science.
This book speaks about physics discoveries that intertwine mathematical reasoning, modeling, and scientific inquiry. It offers ways of bringing together the structural domain of mathematics and the content of physics in one coherent inquiry. Teaching and learning physics is challenging because students lack the skills to merge these learning paradigms. The purpose of this book is not only to improve access to the understanding of natural phenomena but also to inspire new ways of delivering and understanding the complex concepts of physics. To sustain physics education in college classrooms, authentic training that would help develop high school students’ skills of transcending function modeling techniques to reason scientifically is needed and this book aspires to offer such training The book draws on current research in developing students’ mathematical reasoning. It identifies areas for advancements and proposes a conceptual framework that is tested in several case studies designed using that framework. Modeling Newton’s laws using limited case analysis, Modeling projectile motion using parametric equations and Enabling covariational reasoning in Einstein formula for the photoelectric effect represent some of these case studies. A wealth of conclusions that accompany these case studies, drawn from the realities of classroom teaching, is to help physics teachers and researchers adopt these ideas in practice.
This book is the first volume of proceedings from the joint conference X International Symposium “Quantum Theory and Symmetries” (QTS-X) and XII International Workshop “Lie Theory and Its Applications in Physics” (LT-XII), held on 19–25 June 2017 in Varna, Bulgaria. The QTS series was founded on the core principle that symmetries underlie all descriptions of quantum systems. It has since evolved into a symposium at the forefront of theoretical and mathematical physics. The LT series covers the whole field of Lie theory in its widest sense, together with its applications in many areas of physics. As an interface between mathematics and physics, the workshop serves as a meeting place for mathematicians and theoretical and mathematical physicists. In dividing the material between the two volumes, the Editor has sought to select papers that are more oriented toward mathematics for the first volume, and those focusing more on physics for the second. However, this division is relative, since many papers are equally suitable for either volume. The topics addressed in this volume represent the latest trends in the fields covered by the joint conferences: representation theory, integrability, entanglement, quantum groups, number theory, conformal geometry, quantum affine superalgebras, noncommutative geometry. Further, they present various mathematical results: on minuscule modules, symmetry breaking operators, Kashiwara crystals, meta-conformal invariance, the superintegrable Zernike system.
Today many important directions of research are being pursued more or less independently of each other. These are, for instance, strings and mem branes, induced gravity, embedding of spacetime into a higher dimensional space, the brane world scenario, the quantum theory in curved spaces, Fock Schwinger proper time formalism, parametrized relativistic quantum the ory, quantum gravity, wormholes and the problem of “time machines”, spin and supersymmetry, geometric calculus based on Clifford algebra, various interpretations of quantum mechanics including the Everett interpretation, and the recent important approach known as “decoherence”. A big problem, as I see it, is that various people thoroughly investigate their narrow field without being aware of certain very close relations to other fields of research. What we need now is not only to see the trees but also the forest. In the present book I intend to do just that: to carry out a first approximation to a synthesis of the related fundamental theories of physics. I sincerely hope that such a book will be useful to physicists. From a certain viewpoint the book could be considered as a course in the oretical physics in which the foundations of all those relevant fundamental theories and concepts are attempted to be thoroughly reviewed. Unsolved problems and paradoxes are pointed out. I show that most of those ap proaches have a common basis in the theory of unconstrained membranes. The very interesting and important concept of membrane space, the tensor calculus in and functional transformations in are discussed.
Spacetime physics -- Physics in flat spacetime -- The mathematics of curved spacetime -- Einstein's geometric theory of gravity -- Relativistic stars -- The universe -- Gravitational collapse and black holes -- Gravitational waves -- Experimental tests of general relativity -- Frontiers
Big-Bang? Do you believe it? I don't. Being a career engineering-physicist, I always look for proof. For 50 years I have tried to prove the BB to myself. I have reviewed Slipher's red shift observation, reinterpreted it, and corrected Hubble's declaration, (the universe is not expanding and exploding to its death, instead, it is growing with vim and vigor). Red shift defines velocity, not acceleration or deceleration. So, I developed the New Universe Theory which is believable because it complies with known facts and the Laws of Physics.
Ten years after a 1989 meeting of number theorists and physicists at the Centre de Physique des Houches, a second event focused on the broader interface of number theory, geometry, and physics. This book is the first of two volumes resulting from that meeting. Broken into three parts, it covers Conformal Field Theories, Discrete Groups, and Renormalization, offering extended versions of the lecture courses and shorter texts on special topics.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is the premier public resource on scientific and technological developments that impact global security. Founded by Manhattan Project Scientists, the Bulletin's iconic "Doomsday Clock" stimulates solutions for a safer world.
