Theories of Relativity

The theory of Relativity by Albert Einstein is one of the most known physics theories of all time.

Not only the most known, but also the most interesting theories The theory that one of the implementations change the face of the world – nuclear bombs – something that Einstein would regret inventing the theories.

A knol by Jack Sarfatti, Ph.D about the Theories of Relativity explores Einstein’s background story on the relativity theories, as well as the implementation of the theories, such as understanding the relativity of gravity, complementing and enriching the theory of gravity that Newton invents.

Mr. Sarfatti elaborates the background of theories of relativity, explaining that many doubt that Einstein himself invent the special relativity. Many suspect that the theories are invented by his wife or others.

There is a large claque of cranks on the Web who try to demean Einstein’s genius by saying that his wife Mileva really invented special relativity or that Poincare, Fitzgerald and Lorentz did.

Despite the speculations about Einstein’s theories of relativity, the theories themselves has been ground-breaker that days, as well as today.

One example I found interesting about the theories of relativity, is that its relation with the Newton’s theory of gravity, explained in Hawking’s The Universe in a Nutshell.

Hawking explained in his book that if the earth were flat, it’s either the apple fell on Newton’s head because of gravity or because Newton and the earth’s surface accelerate upward.

This equivalents between acceleration and gravity didn’t seem to work for a round earth. The undermining idea is that people has to be at a constant distance in Newton’s idea on gravity. Einstain invented the theory that the equivalence would work it the geometry of spacetime was curved and not flat – thus the theory of relativity in gravity was born.

Applications of the theories of relativity in gravity – with the curved time and space Einstein proposed, are found in our daily life. One prominent example: The zero gravity in space explorations.

There are many interesting ideas, both for physics enthusiasts and for general public.

The theories of relativities are everlastingly be the base theories to develop technologies for the benefit of mankind – not only to destroy it.

Image by Marcin Wichary.