Essay about The Theory of Relativity

The general and widespread acceptance of Sir Isaac Newton’s models and laws may often be taken for granted, but this has not always been so. Throughout history, scientists and philosophers have built on each other’s theories to create improved and often revolutionary models. Although Newton was neither the first nor the last to bring major innovations to society, he was one of the most notable ones; many of his contributions are still in use today. With the formulation of his laws of motion, Sir Isaac Newton contributed to the downfall of Aristotelianism and provided a universal quantitative system for approximating and explaining a wide range of phenomena of space and the physics of motion, revolutionizing the study and understanding

Einstein has brought many insights of life including the theory of the speed of light, which has led to the special theory of relativity that molded the way science, is today. “For example, various experiments, including the Michelson-Morley experiment, failed to measure the expected changes in the speed of light relative to the motion of the Earth. Due to this Einstein recognized that light has a measured speed that is independent of the speed of the observer” (“Albert Einstein.” 4). “Einstein showed in 1907 that mass is related to energy by the famous equation E=mc^2, which indicates the enormous amount of energy that is stored as mass, some of which is released in radioactivity and nuclear radiations, for example in the sun” (4).This enabled Einstein to be able to start and finish the general theory of relativity.

The Economist’s article “The most beautiful theory” discusses Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. It explains the origins of general relativity through Einstein’s initial thought experiments that eventually led to the realization that the university functions in four dimensions (“three spatial dimensions, one temporal one”) and that mass curved space-time, creating gravity. Over time, Einstein’s theory was verified by observations, such as those made by Arthur Eddington when he noticed the skew of light around the sun during an eclipse, which could only have been due to distorted space-time. His theory has also been expanded over the years as physicists try to combine general relativity with

Both you and the observer could argue for days, and none of you would be able to prove the other person wrong, and as matter of fact, when it comes to physical laws both of you are correct. It all depends on your frame of reference. Speaking of frames of reference, an inertial reference frame is an area where no force applies, therefore there isn’t any gravitational force, or any acceleration, in an inertial frame one couldn’t tell if he was on constant velocity or if he was at rest.

Quantum Mechanics is the science of subatomic particles and their behavior patterns that are observed in nature. As the foundation of scientific knowledge approached the start of the twentieth century, problems began to arise over the fact that classic physical ideas were not capable of explaining the observed behavior of subatomic particles. In 1913, the Danish physicist Neils Bohr, proposed a successful quantum model of the atom that began the process of a more defined understanding of its subatomic particles. It was accepted in the early part of the twentieth century that light traveled as both waves and particles. The reason light appears to act as a wave and particle is because we are noticing the

This will lead to an explanation of motion, the development of the calculus, and the establishment of basic laws of modern physics.

Newton’s writings have had a profound effect on modern day science, astronomy, physics, as well as scientific reason. His discoveries and laws set a foundation of universal guidelines that enabled others to conduct experiments based on their own observations, while he also explained how the natural world functioned. In his ‘Principia’ he listed his set of four rules of scientific reasoning. The four rules include: 1) we are to admit no more causes of natural things such as both true and sufficient to explain their experiences. 2) The same natural effects must be assigned to the same causes. 3) Qualities of bodies are to be esteemed as universal. 4) Propositions deduced from observation of phenomena contradict them (wolframresearch). This method of reasoning set the framework for the quest of answers during the Enlightenment. Today his four laws are known as the scientific

This hypothesis has motivated early scientists to detect the presence of aether for a long time. The Michelson-Morley experiment performed in 1907 found that the speed of light was the same in all directions being measured. This result strongly suggested the non-existence of the substance aether. It led to the crash of Lorentz’s theory and the later development of special relativity by

There was conflict between the fact that an object would keep moving without a mover in projectile motion and Aristotle’s theory of ‘no movement without mover’. Aristotle didn’t make a thorough investigation or even no controlled experiment was carried out. Newton Issac took account of other scientists’ explanations (Galileo’s principle of inertia) and rectified their misconception by mathematic calculations and experiments apart from observations. Deduction reasoning was used rather than inductive reasoning. Finally, axioms could successfully replace the old theory and the

Newton arguing for absolute space used a thought experiment to illustrate that true rotational motion cannot be defined as the relative rotation of the body with respect to the immediately surrounding bodies. Absolute space is immovable and similar without any external force or object acting upon it. It is the study of space as an unmoving reference point for what inertial systems such as planets and other objects exist within. Every object has an absolute state of motion relative to absolute space, so an object must either be in a state of absolute rest, or moving at some absolute speed. Newton does not succeed entirely in making his claim for absolute space.

One of the most well known is, “To every action there is always an opposed and equal reaction”.2 These three basic theories are the most widely known theories that Newton proposed. The development of these theories founded what is now modern physics. These theories also gained Newton attention and credibility in the scientific community, which further helped spread his accomplishments.

General Relativity is a two part theory created by the German physicist, Albert Einstein. The two sections of relativity is special relativity and general relativity. Special relativity focuses more on lines, constant-velocity motion on the mass of objects, the passage throughout time, and that passing the speed of light is impossible. General relativity deals with accelerated motion, gravitational fields on mass, size, and time. General relativity also states that matter and space effect each other and that the universe ends and there may be more universes out there. Relativity also includes space-time. Many people think that space and time are completely different variables, but physicists often combine them into “space-time”. Space-time is a four-dimensional coordinate system used in relativity and other areas of physics. The dimensions are, length, width, height, and the 4th is the time dimension.

In this paper I will be discussing the concept of the paradox, examples from Zeno and McTaggart, and how modern science has potential solved the paradox put forth by McTaggart. Both of these paradoxes have a enormous repercussion on how objective fact about the world can be understood. I claim that McTaggart’s theory of time can be solved by modern physics as Einstein’s theory of relativity makes time a relative factor in how time is understood.

Newton had given the world what we now know as physics. For the past three hundred years Newtonian Mechanics have been taught to every student aspiring to elevate their minds. Newtonian Mechanics were the end all to the questions that had plagued thinkers since the beginning of time. The key difference is that Newton was never exposed to the world of science that technology had made prevalent to the likes of an Einstein or Hawking, or even my colleague studying neuro surgery at John’s Hopkins University. When Newton was sitting under his apple tree conjuring up ideas for how and why he did not fly off into space or why the harder you hit something the farther it goes, technology was moving along at the rate of most people’s grandmothers in their walkers. The scientists that had surrounded Newton knew only of what they could see. Their were no people looking to the far ends of the galaxies and their were no people looking in to the unseen cells that make up everything that we can see. Basically, Newton did not have a reason to explain what he was not aware of. He did have quite good reason, however, to explain why he got a bump on his head from that ripe apple that no longer needed the shelter of the tree. According to Shlain, Newton set the world he knew to mechanics and set the parameters for the new and final, well what was thought to be the final paradigm of the world. Then in 1905,

Before Einstein, Scientists believed that light waves travelled through a medium called ether. Einstein proved that ether was irrelevant and that light doesn’t travel through a medium. Einstein proved this by figuring out that the speed of light was constant, and in order for ether to be the medium light waves travel through, the speed of light would change depending on the observer. This discovery was one piece of the Specific Theory of Relativity.