Newton to Einstein: The Trail of Light: An Excursion to the Wave-Particle Duality and the Special Theory of Relativity

Baierlein, Ralph

ISBN 10: 0521411718 / ISBN 13: 9780521411714

Published by Cambridge University Press, 1992

About this Item

Ex-library book with stickers and/or stamps throughout.

Seller Inventory # mon0003872411

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Newton to Einstein: The Trail of Light: An Excursion to the Wave-Particle Duality and the Special Theory of Relativity
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521411718
• ISBN 13: 9780521411714
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Good

About this title

Synopsis

This engaging text takes the reader along the trail of light from Newton's particles to Einstein's relativity. Like the best detective stories, it presents clues and encourages the reader to draw conclusions before the answers are revealed. The first seven chapters cover the behavior of light, Newton's particle theory, waves and an electromagnetic wave theory of light, the photon, and wave-particle duality. Baierlein goes on to develop the special theory of relativity, showing how time dilation and length contraction are consequences of the two simple principles underlying the theory. An extensive chapter derives the equation E = mc2 clearly from first principles and then explores its consequences.

About the Author

RALPH BAIERLEIN received his PhD from Princeton University; his thirty seven years of classroom teaching were spent at Harvard and at Wesleyan University, Connecticut. He has published papers in astrophysics, cosmology and relativity theory. For eight years he served as book review editor of the American Journal of Physics, and has written many papers related to the teaching of physics. In 1996 he was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society.