Special relativity : a first encounter, 100 years since Einstein / Domenico Giulini.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Giulini, D. (Domenico), 1959- author.

Series:

Oxford scholarship online.

Oxford scholarship online

Standardized Title:

Spezielle Relativitätstheorie. English

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Special relativity (Physics).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (177 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2023.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"Special relativity provides the foundations of our understanding of space and time. This book gives a modern introduction to the theory, and covers the most recent experimental developments"--Provided by publisher.

Special relativity provides the foundations of our understanding of space and time. Without it, elementary particle physics would be unthinkable, and modern navigational systems could not function. This book provides a gentle introduction to the theory, and covers the most recent experimental developments.

Contents:

Cover; Contents; 1 Origin and significance of Special Relativity; 2 Historical developments; 2.1 The dualistic concept of matter in the 19th century; 2.2 The principle of relativity in mechanics; 2.3 Is the relativity principle valid in electrodynamics?; 2.4 Experiments, contradictions, and consequences; 2.4.1 Aberration; 2.4.2 Fizeau's experiment; 2.4.3 The Michelson-Morley experiment; 2.4.4 The FitzGerald-Lorentz deformation hypothesis; 3 Foundations of Special Relativity; 3.1 The notion of simultaneity; 3.2 Lorentz transformations; 3.3 Time dilation and length contraction

3.3.1 Time dilation3.3.2 Length contraction; 3.4 Addition of velocities; 3.5 Causality relations; 3.6 Aberration and Doppler effect; 3.6.1 Aberration; 3.6.2 Doppler effect; 3.7 Length contraction and visual appearance; 3.8 Mass, momentum, and kinetic energy; 3.9 Probably the most famous formula in all of physics; 3.10 Electrodynamics: Invariance of Maxwell's equations; 4 Further consequences and applications of Special Relativity; 4.1 Atomic physics; 4.2 Nuclear physics; 4.3 Elementary particle physics; 4.4 Daily physics: navigational systems; 4.5 Science fiction: travel to distant stars?

4.6 Outlook on General Relativity5 Closer encounters with special topics; 5.1 Ole Rømer's measurement of the velocity of light; 5.2 The independence of the velocity of light from the state of motion of the source; 5.3 Do superluminal velocities exist?; 5.4 The Kennedy-Thorndike experiment; 5.5 The Ives-Stilwell experiment; 5.6 The current experimental status of Special Relativity; 5.7 Synchronization by slow clock-transport; 5.8 Aberration and conformal transformations; 5.9 Transformation formulae for momentum, energy, and force; 5.10 Minkowski space and the Lorentz group; Bibliography

GlossarySymbols, units, constants; Picture Credits; Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; Y; Z

Notes:

Formerly CIP.

Previously issued in print: 2005.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Derived record based on print version record and publisher information.

ISBN:

1-383-02973-3

1-280-75757-4

9786610757572

0-19-154662-3

1-4237-8661-0

OCLC:

829460093