What Is Relativity?: An Intuitive Introduction to Einstein's Ideas, and Why They Matter

What Is Relativity?: An Intuitive Introduction to Einstein's Ideas, and Why They Matter - Hardcover

$25.95
Sale price  $25.95 Regular price 
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What Is Relativity?: An Intuitive Introduction to Einstein's Ideas, and Why They Matter

What Is Relativity?: An Intuitive Introduction to Einstein's Ideas, and Why They Matter - Hardcover

$25.95
Sale price  $25.95 Regular price 

Book Overview

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 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). Amply illustrated and written in clear, accessible prose, Bennett's book proves anyone can grasp the basics of Einstein's ideas. 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.
ISBN9780231167260
Author Jeffrey Bennett
PublisherColumbia University Press
GenreEducation
FormatHardcover
PublishedMarch 2014
LanguageENG- English
Pages208
Weight1.0 lb
Target AudienceAdults
Print SizeStandard Print

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About Jeffrey Bennett

Jeffrey Bennett has been teaching and writing about the scale of the universe for more than 40 years, and was the original creator of a project to build scale model solar systems that are now permanently installed in more than two dozen cities, including on the National Mall in Washington, DC. He holds a B.A. in Biophysics (University of California, San Diego) and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Astrophysics (University of Colorado). He is the lead author of college textbooks in astronomy, astrobiology, mathematics, and statistics that together have sold more than 3 million copies, and of critically acclaimed books for the general public including Beyond UFOs (Princeton University Press, 2008/2011), Math for Life (Big Kid Science 2014), What is Relativity? (Columbia University Press, 2014), and On Teaching Science (Big Kid Science 2014). His seven books for children have all been selected for launch to the International Space Station for the " Story Time From Space" program (storytimefromspace.com). Dr. Bennett has received numerous awards for his teaching and writing, including the prestigious American Institute of Physics Science Communication Award and the 2023 Klopsteg Memorial award for education from the American Association of Physics Teachers. His personal web site is www.jeffreybennett.com.

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