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How Einstein’s general theory of relativity killed off common-sense physics

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  How Einstein’s general theory of relativity killed off common-sense physics Sam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com> - 2015-11-24 14:59 -0600
    Re: How Einstein’s general theory of relativity killed off common-sense physics jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com - 2015-11-24 21:08 +0000

#535179 — How Einstein’s general theory of relativity killed off common-sense physics

How Einstein’s general theory of relativity killed off common-sense physics
> http://theconversation.com/how-einsteins-general-theory-of-relativity-killed-off-common-sense-physics-50042

> For two centuries, Newton’s remarkably simple and elegant theory of
> universal gravitation had seemed to explain the matter well. But, as
> is increasingly true for physics, simple just doesn’t cut it
> anymore.
>
> Einstein’s starting point for general relativity was his theory of
> special relativity, published in 1905. This explained how to
> formulate the laws of physics in the absence of gravity. At the
> centre of both theories is a description of space and time that is
> different from the one that common sense would suggest.
>
> The theories explain how to interpret motion between different places
> that are moving at constant speeds relative to each other – rather
> than relative to some sort of absolute ether (as Newton had assumed).
> While the laws of physics are universal, it says, different viewers
> will see the timing of events differently depending on how fast they
> are travelling. An event that would seem to take 1000 years when
> viewed from Earth may seem to take just a second for someone in a
> spacecraft travelling at great speed.
>
> At the centre of Einstein’s theories is the fact that the speed of
> light is independent of the motion of the observer who is measuring
> the speed. This is strange, because common sense suggests that if you
> sit in your car alongside a railroad track, a train passing by will
> seem to be moving much faster than if you followed it in the same
> direction. However, if you instead sit and watch a light beam go by,
> it would move equally fast regardless of whether you were following
> it or not – a clear indication that something is wrong with common
> sense.


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#535186

Sam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com> wrote:
> How Einstein?s general theory of relativity killed off common-sense physics
>> http://theconversation.com/how-einsteins-general-theory-of-relativity-killed-off-common-sense-physics-50042
> 
>> For two centuries, Newton?s remarkably simple and elegant theory of
>> universal gravitation had seemed to explain the matter well. But, as
>> is increasingly true for physics, simple just doesn?t cut it
>> anymore.
>>
>> Einstein?s starting point for general relativity was his theory of
>> special relativity, published in 1905. This explained how to
>> formulate the laws of physics in the absence of gravity. At the
>> centre of both theories is a description of space and time that is
>> different from the one that common sense would suggest.
>>
>> The theories explain how to interpret motion between different places
>> that are moving at constant speeds relative to each other ? rather
>> than relative to some sort of absolute ether (as Newton had assumed).
>> While the laws of physics are universal, it says, different viewers
>> will see the timing of events differently depending on how fast they
>> are travelling. An event that would seem to take 1000 years when
>> viewed from Earth may seem to take just a second for someone in a
>> spacecraft travelling at great speed.
>
>> At the centre of Einstein?s theories is the fact that the speed of
>> light is independent of the motion of the observer who is measuring
>> the speed. This is strange, because common sense suggests that if you
>> sit in your car alongside a railroad track, a train passing by will
>> seem to be moving much faster than if you followed it in the same
>> direction. However, if you instead sit and watch a light beam go by,
>> it would move equally fast regardless of whether you were following
>> it or not ? a clear indication that something is wrong with common
>> sense.
 
Yawn.

 

-- 
Jim Pennino

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