Relativity for Dummies?

[wilson]

I've been doing a good bit of reading and thinking about quantum theories, relativity, etc., especially as they relate to space/time and the construction and nature of the universe. However, a lot of what I find online descends too quickly into jargon or becomes a circular repetition of the same stuff over and over. Is anyone in here a physicist or does anyone know a physicist who can recommend a good book that'll give me an overall introduction to this stuff that's both accessible to the layperson and a worthwhile read? I really enjoy the thought exercise and the existential questions it raises, and I'd like to explore further.

[-jk]

I have a relatively decent handle on this one. They were teaching it when I was in school ages ago.

I want String Theory for Dummies. I still can't wrap my head around that one.

-jk

[wilson]

I have a relatively decent handle on this one. They were teaching it when I was in school ages ago.

I want String Theory for Dummies. I still can't wrap my head around that one.

-jk

Yeah, me too. Even my title for this thread kind of oversimplifies what I'm looking for (in large part because I kind of don't know what I'm talking about). I'd still like to find a volume (or maybe a couple) to explain these far-reaching theories, and what all this "Theory of Everything" business is about.

[Jarhead]

Not to worry. It's all relative. Just adsorb and store in the cloud, so you can bring it up any time you need it.

[BD80]

I've been doing a good bit of reading and thinking about quantum theories, relativity, etc., especially as they relate to space/time and the construction and nature of the universe. However, a lot of what I find online descends too quickly into jargon or becomes a circular repetition of the same stuff over and over. Is anyone in here a physicist or does anyone know a physicist who can recommend a good book that'll give me an overall introduction to this stuff that's both accessible to the layperson and a worthwhile read? I really enjoy the thought exercise and the existential questions it raises, and I'd like to explore further.

This might help ...

It all starts on a warm summer evening in ancient Greece ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tasNn3HYyAU

[AncientPsychicT]

As a physics major taking a class on relativity/quantum mechanics right now, you can PM me any specific questions you might have. I'll do my best to answer them.

[Dukeface88]

I have a relatively decent handle on this one. They were teaching it when I was in school ages ago.

I want String Theory for Dummies. I still can't wrap my head around that one.

-jk

I'm pretty sure you have to be on drugs to understand string theory. At least, it sounds like something one of my pothead friends in high school would come up with.

"Dude, what if there were these tiny guitar strings."

"What?"

"Yeah, little strings. And the strings were like, vibrating. And the vibrations made like, everything. Like the whole universe was made of music."

"I will give you $100 to stop talking. That, or this bag of Cheetos"

[sagegrouse]

I found Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time to be a lucid and somewhat wry discussion of the space-time continuum and relativity when I read it a couple of decades ago. Moreover, there are youtube and video versions. Also, you could just get the lifted quotes at goodread.com.

Less than Sage, Grouse

[Deslok]

Two slightly older books that I found to be good reads on the subject are: Black Holes and Time Warps, Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip Thorne which does a great job of laying out relativity in a historical and applicable context(and, just for my own geekiness, I have to note that it's the book Peter Parker is reading while waiting for Aunt Mae to wake up in the hospital in the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies), and the other book is In Search of Schrondinger's Kittens by John Gribbin which is much more about Quantum Theory and gives a nice basis to the whole thing, though some later speculation in the book is definitely dated iirc.

[JBDuke]

I found Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time to be a lucid and somewhat wry discussion of the space-time continuum and relativity when I read it a couple of decades ago. Moreover, there are youtube and video versions. Also, you could just get the lifted quotes at goodread.com.

Less than Sage, Grouse

Hawking released an update a few years back, co-authored with Leonard Miodinow, titled "A Briefer History of Time". It condensed the original book, but also added some sections addressing some cosmology theories that have emerged since the original was published - including a discussion on string theory. I haven't read the update, but the original was pretty good.

[Dev11]

Hawking released an update a few years back, co-authored with Leonard Miodinow, titled "A Briefer History of Time". It condensed the original book, but also added some sections addressing some cosmology theories that have emerged since the original was published - including a discussion on string theory. I haven't read the update, but the original was pretty good.

I read the original and would also recommend it. Dr. Hawking describes the theories of the universe as they have progressed through time, and it gets funny when he reaches modern times and discusses some of the discoveries in the first person.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I've been doing a good bit of reading and thinking about quantum theories, relativity, etc., especially as they relate to space/time and the construction and nature of the universe. However, a lot of what I find online descends too quickly into jargon or becomes a circular repetition of the same stuff over and over.

I was going to point you to the Throaty's HPR, which was developed specifically because of circular repetition of the same stuff over and over, but the link in the first thread is broken. -jk, I sent the board a message about this!

[Olympic Fan]

According to the master himself:

A hour with a pretty girl seems like a minute ... holding your hand on a hot oven top for a minute seems like an hour. That's relativity.

I've never seen it stated any simpler than that.

[77devil]

Two slightly older books that I found to be good reads on the subject are: Black Holes and Time Warps, Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip Thorne which does a great job of laying out relativity in a historical and applicable context(and, just for my own geekiness, I have to note that it's the book Peter Parker is reading while waiting for Aunt Mae to wake up in the hospital in the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies), and the other book is In Search of Schrondinger's Kittens by John Gribbin which is much more about Quantum Theory and gives a nice basis to the whole thing, though some later speculation in the book is definitely dated iirc.

Also on the older side is Werner Heisenberg's Physics and Beyond. It's an excellent introduction to quantum physics and much more. I read it for Dr. Parker's class on western civilization and have referred back to it as much as any other book I own.

[rthomas]

If you really want to get into it:

http://feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/I_toc.html

Probably the best physics teacher ever. And one of the best physicist ever, Richard Feynman. CalTech has put all of his lectures online for free.

Enjoy.

[Jarhead]

If you really want to get into it:

http://feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/I_toc.html

Probably the best physics teacher ever. And one of the best physicist ever, Richard Feynman. CalTech has put all of his lectures online for free.

Enjoy.

Thanks for that link, rt. I am already enjoying it. It's sitting right up there in my bookmark toolbar. At Duke I never took a single course in physics. I was an Accounting major. I didn't take it in high school either. Long story. So, I'll have some fun with the Feynman Lectures.

[Bostondevil]

I spoke with that physicist that I live with and he recommended Chad Orzel.

Here's a link to his blog http://scienceblogs.com/principles/.

On the right side of the blog are links to his two books "How to Teach Physics to Your Dog" and "How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog". I thought you might like those, Wilson. Hubby recommends them as the kind of books you're looking for. Plus, Dogs!

[gus]

According to the master himself:

A hour with a pretty girl seems like a minute ... holding your hand on a hot oven top for a minute seems like an hour. That's relativity.

I've never seen it stated any simpler than that.

This quote is apparently the abstract to a short paper Einstein published in 1938 in the Journal of Exothermic Science and Technology.

I don't have access to the journal in question, but it's recreated here (and many other places on the net):

http://republicanherald.com/opinion/...tive-1.1525927

[DukeUsul]

I was an undergrad physics major at Duke many years ago. I second the recommendations for A Brief History of Time. I'll also highly recommend Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe.

[wilson]

Thanks for all the recs, everyone. I made a trip to my favorite used bookstore this afternoon and picked up several things. I suspect I'll make pretty short work of A Brief History of Time. I'm really enjoying it so far.