Originally posted by robbie carrobieGet the book
can anyone explain to me in layman's terms what general relativity is? or more
importantly can you provide references or illustrations to explain what it is, for i have
looked on the net and its not so easy to grasp, for me anyway.
Originally posted by robbie carrobieI tend to be hesitant when it comes to linking to wikipedia, but they do a good job explaining it and some of the implications of it.
can anyone explain to me in layman's terms what general relativity is? or more
importantly can you provide references or illustrations to explain what it is, for i have
looked on the net and its not so easy to grasp, for me anyway.
Originally posted by joe shmothanks but that was practically useless, which is not an assessment of you, more of the nature of the theory. Can it really be so hard to grasp conceptually if it is well illustrated?
Get the book
Relativity
The Special and General Theory
by: Albert Einstein
It states on the back of the book that It was written for the "average person". So I'd imagine If he can't explain it to you, noone can.
As a side note, I personally feel that Einstein was fairly optimistic in his assesment of what the "average person" could comfortably ...[text shortened]... aining, but perhaps this just means that I fall short of what he considered to be average.
Originally posted by ua41thanks ill try this, but me thinks there must be a site for total noobs, general relativity for kids or something, that's more my level.
I tend to be hesitant when it comes to linking to wikipedia, but they do a good job explaining it and some of the implications of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_relativity
edit: and this is it without so much of the technicals and mechanics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_general_relativity
and some of the observed applications of it
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tests_of_general_relativity
Originally posted by joe shmoI have read this book. I could not agree more with this recommendation. Einstein had the reputation of being a good teacher as long as his student was willing to put in the effort, and judging by this book, that was thoroughly deserved. Yes, you do need a decent basis in Newtonian high school physics. Yes, you need to be prepared to read through some, not all that complicated, maths formulae. But do that, and I have yet to find a book which explains the matter more clearly and more thoroughly.
Get the book
Relativity
The Special and General Theory
by: Albert Einstein
It states on the back of the book that It was written for the "average person". So I'd imagine If he can't explain it to you, noone can.
As a side note, I personally feel that Einstein was fairly optimistic in his assesment of what the "average person" could comfortably ...[text shortened]... aining, but perhaps this just means that I fall short of what he considered to be average.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraThanks KazetNagorra, i find it utterly fascinating although a total noob and not that brainy either, how can space bend though? its not like its made of anything, is it? is it? I mean, how can gravity push or pull something that doesn't exist, or is not tangible? surely it must have some mass for gravity to work?
Something like that. The principle of relativity states, broadly speaking, that the laws of physics are the same for all observers (for example you can play pool on a - very smoothly running - train or at a bar, it doesn't matter). This wasn't a new idea, but the new idea is the following. When Maxwell developed his equations for electromagnetism, physi ...[text shortened]... giving a general theory that gives rise to the bending of spacetime, black holes, etc.
Originally posted by Shallow Bluedo you have any illustrations about travelling at the speed of light and what it would appear like, would everything be frozen to a standstill? or any illustrations that helps me grasp the principles for naturally the mathematics will be quite beyond a noob like me.
I have read this book. I could not agree more with this recommendation. Einstein had the reputation of being a good teacher as long as his student was willing to put in the effort, and judging by this book, that was thoroughly deserved. Yes, you do need a decent basis in Newtonian high school physics. Yes, you need to be prepared to read through some, n ...[text shortened]... ayman, which is a higher standard. But it's not a book for the expert by any means.
Richard
Originally posted by robbie carrobieI will have a go at explaining general relativity in rather over simplistic terms but in terms that I hope any layperson would understand:
can anyone explain to me in layman's terms what general relativity is? or more
importantly can you provide references or illustrations to explain what it is, for i have
looked on the net and its not so easy to grasp, for me anyway.
Originally posted by Andrew Hamiltonactually i think you are confusing simplicity with clarity, never the less, i thank you for
I will have a go at explaining general relativity in rather over simplistic terms but in terms that I hope any layperson would understand:
firstly, there are two parts of relativity: “special relativity” and “general relativity”.
The one thing they both have in common is that they are both, at least in part, derived from assuming that the speed o exactly the amount of wobble predicted by general relativity! -that is very powerful evidence!
Originally posted by robbie carrobieThe "bending" of spacetime is a way to visualize what is going on mathematically. What it means is that e.g. a light ray passing near the sun will bend.
Thanks KazetNagorra, i find it utterly fascinating although a total noob and not that brainy either, how can space bend though? its not like its made of anything, is it? is it? I mean, how can gravity push or pull something that doesn't exist, or is not tangible? surely it must have some mass for gravity to work?
Originally posted by KazetNagorraok, i found this,
The "bending" of spacetime is a way to visualize what is going on mathematically. What it means is that e.g. a light ray passing near the sun will bend.