Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Modern Physics

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Theory of Relativity

Special Theory of Relativity

General Theory of Relativity

Quantum Mechanics
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Special Theory of Relativity

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Published in the paper On the Electrodynamics of

Moving Bodies in 1905
Based on two postulates:
1) For all observers, the speed of light is the same no
matter what their (observers) relative speed is
2) The laws of physics are the same in any objects with
inertial orientation and in a non-accelerating frame of
reference
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Observer 2

Observer 1
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Relativity of Simultaneity
All motion is observed to be relative to the observer
or to some fixed object
Two events, simultaneous for one observer, may not
be simultaneous for another if the observers are in
relative motion

Motion may change depending on the reference

used
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Time Dilation
Slowing of time due to motion

t t0 1

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v2
c2

The time lapse (t) observed on a body moving at a

given speed of light (c) and velocity (v) relative to the
time lapse at rest (t0)
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Einstein's Twin Paradox

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What is t if one boards a bullet
train and travels at 0.2 c and to
is equal to 1 hour?

What is t if one rides an

aircraft and travels at
300 m/s and to is equal
to 1 hour?

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Length Contraction
Proposed by an Irish physicist named George Francis
FitzGerald in 1893

All objects that move through space decreases its

size in the direction of its absolute motion

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L L0 1

c2

If you are 6 feet tall and were to

board an aircraft and travel at 0.9 c,
how tall would you appear to Earth's
reference frame?

At any given velocity, the length L of the object or of

the distance between objects would have a fixed ratio
to the length L0 of the same object or distance at rest

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A rocket is observed to be 25 meters long
when at rest on Earth. It passes you and
appears to be 15 meters long. What is the
velocity of the aircraft?

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Mass Increase
m

mo
1

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v2
c2

Where m is the objects mass while moving and m0 is

its rest mass

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Find the mass of an electron that

is accelerated to a speed of
0.9999 c. The mass of an electron
is 9.109 x 10-31 kg.

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If you were to board an aircraft and travel at 0.90 c

and had a mass of 60 kg, how massive would you
appear to the Earth's reference frame?

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Mass-Energy Equivalence

E mc

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What is the total energy of a
particle with a mass of 3
kilograms?

m0
1

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c2

v
c2

Where E is the total energy of the object, m is the mass

of the object and c is the speed of light

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Find the total energy of an

electron moving at 0.80 c. The
electron has a mass of 9.109 x
10-31 kg at rest.

General Theory of Relativity

Describes the relationship between gravity and the
structure of space-time
Published in 1915
Relationship between the curvature of space-time
and mass-energy density:
curvature of = (mass-energy density)(8 pi G/c4)
space-time

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Evidences that Prove the General
Theory of Relativity
1. The precession of Mercurys
perihelion

2. Gravitational deflection of
starlight

3. Gravitational redshift
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Quantum Mechanics
Fundamental branch of theoretical physics that
replaces classical mechanics and classical
electromagnetism at the atomic and subatomic
levels

Development of Quantum Mechanics

Max Planck discovered that energy is emitted in
discrete quantities and not in a continuous stream
Planck discovered that the energy emitted by the
black body is proportional to the radiations
frequency

Involves mathematical theory that describes the

behavior of a particle that is roughly 10,000,000,000
times smaller than a typical human being called
quantum particles
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In the last two decades of the 19th century, it had
been discovered that some metals behave as
though they were giving off electricity under the
influence of light. This is called the photoelectric
effect

In 1905, Einstein published his second paper where

he advanced an explanation that made use of
Plancks quantum theory
In 1901, the Russian physicist Peter Nikolaevich
Lebedev demonstrated the fact that light could
exert a very slight pressure
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Extra Problems
1. You volunteer to travel to a newly discovered planet
about 30 light years from Earth. At what speed do
you need to travel to reach the planet in 6 years?
2. A particle appears to have a mass of 1.64 x 10-25 kg
when it travels with a velocity of 0.70c. What would
be the mass in amu of the particle if it is at rest?
3. What is t if one boards an aircraft and travels at 0.8 c
and to is equal to 1 hour?
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