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Part I examines
humanity's long journey to understand the micro-world - molecules,
atoms and everything smaller yet - and introduces the people who led
the way.
For 2,500 years, some of the
brightest minds struggled to discover what everything we see is made
of. In 1905, Einstein provided the critical insights leading to the
definitive proof that matter is made of atoms. But atoms are not the
end of this story. Atoms are composed of electrons and nuclei. Nuclei
are made of protons and neutrons, which are themselves made of
up-quarks and down-quarks.
Finally, we believe we have
reached the innermost layer of matter: elementary particles, which
include electrons, these two quarks, and nine other particles.
The interactions of these
elementary particles underlie everything in the universe through the
forces of nature: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong, and weak
forces. These forces light up the stars, create the atoms in our
bodies, enable all of chemistry and biology, shield Earth's
atmosphere, and shape planets, galaxies, and the universe itself.
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We will learn how an obscure
clerk, rejected by the academic establishment, single-handedly shook
the foundations of science and forever changed our understanding of
energy, mass, light, space and time. |
Einstein's most famous
equation E=mc2
provides a deeper understanding of mass and energy, which can lead us
to develop dramatically more abundant, and less polluting sources of
energy. Future energy generation can be a million times more
efficient and less polluting than current technology.
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The Mass-Energy in 1 cent would ...
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...provide a lifetime of energy
for 10 people
and
...provide as much energy as
burning 2 millions gallons of gasoline |
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Fig 9.4 According to Einstein's
equation, E=mc2, the mass-energy in one penny equals the
chemical energy in 2 million gallons of gasoline. |
Ultimately, by utilizing
black holes, we may be able to obtain from a single U.S. penny the
annual energy needs of 800 Americans.
Einstein's Theories of
Relativity are among the crowning achievements of 20th century
science. Building on the discoveries of Galileo,
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Galileo Launched Modern Science |
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Fig 12.1 Galileo. The leaning
Tower of Pisa and an inclined plane which he used to study falling
bodies. Dotted lines show position of ball after 1,2,3,4 & 5
secs, proving Gaileo's Law of Acceleration. |
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and extending the scope of
Newton's laws, Einstein opened the universe to science. He said that
different clocks, even perfect clocks, keep time differently
depending on their speed and location. There is not just one right
answer to "What time is it?" Einstein explained why time is
relative, and explained why a jet looks shorter and heavier the
faster it flies. Einstein's theories constrain and enable distant
space travel, and raise puzzling questions, such as the Twin Paradox.
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When is 1 + ½ = 1 ?
Speed of laser relative to jet = 1 c
Speed of jet relative to air =
½ c
Speed of laser relative to air = ??
Fig 13.2 Jet fires laser beam
directly ahead. What is the speed of laser beam relative to air? Is
it 1c, ½c, or 1 ½c? Einstein said the speed of light is
alway c and provided a new formula to add velocities. |
We will examine the
mysteries of quantum mechanics, its startling view of reality in the
micro-world, and learn how quantum mechanics made possible the
electronic revolution that permeates our lives through computers,
cell-phones, and all things digital. We will meet Schroedinger's Cat,
and find out who had the last meow.
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Schroedinger's Cat - a Thought Experiment
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Sealed box contains:
• healthy cat
• poisoned gas
• raioactive source
• detector & device to
release the gas
when source decays |
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Fig 17.3 What is the state of the
cat when the probablility of decay reaches 50%? Is it alive? dead? or
both? This was only a thought experiment - the cat outlived the physicts. |
Einstein made many essential
contributions to the development of quantum mechanics, including
establishing the theoretical basis for lasers,
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Light is Oscillating Fields
Fig 14.1 Light consists of
oscillating electric, E, and magnetic, M, fields. No medium is
required. The electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to each
other and both are perpendicular to the direction of motion. |
which scan our bar codes,
read our CD's, print our documents, and sculpt our cornea. His
contributions ultimately led directly to a quantum view of reality
based on uncertainty. Einstein never accepted the uncertainty of
quantum mechanics, declaring "God does not play with dice."
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