De sublieme eenvoud van relativiteit: Een visuele inleiding

by Sander Bais

Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity, first published in 1905, radically changed our understanding of the world. Familiar notions of space and time and energy were turned on their head, and our struggle with Einstein's counterintuitive explanation of these concepts was under way. The task is no easier today than it was a hundred years ago, but in this book Sander Bais has found an original and uniquely effective way to convey the fundamental ideas of Einstein's Special Theory.

Bais's previous book, The Equations, was widely read and roundly praised for its clear and commonsense explanation of the math in physics. Very Special Relativity brings the same accessible approach to Einstein's theory. Using a series of easy-to-follow diagrams and employing only elementary high school geometry, Bais conducts readers through the quirks and quandaries of such fundamental concepts as simultaneity, causality, and time dilation. The diagrams also illustrate the difference between the Newtonian view, in which time was universal, and the Einsteinian, in which the speed of light is universal.

Following Bais's straightforward sequence of simple, commonsense arguments, readers can tinker with the theory and its great paradoxes and, finally, arrive at a truly deep understanding of Einstein's interpretation of space and time. An intellectual journey into the heart of the Special Theory, the book offers an intimate look at the terms and ideas that define our reality.

Genres: Science, Physics, Nonfiction

120 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Sander Bais is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Amsterdam and External Faculty Member of the Santa Fe Institute. He is the author of The Equations: Icons of Knowledge and Very Special Relativity: An Illustrated Guide.

Reviews

[Boudewijn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presents an unique and easy understandable insight in the special relativity.

This book does a fairly good attempt of introducing the concept of the special relativity theory. The author is a renowned theoretical physicist from the Amsterdam university and is able to convey the message to a broad public.

Illuminating pictures show a surprising light on the implications of special relativity, such as time dillution, the twin paradox and the curving of space time. Any mathematical formula's are presented in such a way that they can be skipped and the less mathematical adapted user can skip directly to the conclusions.

All in all, a very good attempt. I made it halfway through this book, which isn't to be blamed on the book, but my rather limited grasp of the fields involved. Anyway, this book presents an unique and easy understandable insight in the special relativity.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Special Relativity is by far the best quasi-technical treatment of special relativity that I have found. The author, Sander Bais, uses Minkowski diagrams on nearly every facing page to illustrate the facts and apparent paradoxes of special relativity. He provides geometrical demonstrations ('proofs' in a very restricted sense) of time compression and space dilation.

Most importantly, the consistent use of Minkowski diagrams gives the reader a good handle to remember and reproduce the results of relativity theory.

This is an excellent book for anyone with a grasp of elementary Euclidean geometry who wishes to get a better understanding of the special theory of relativity.

[Jam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small book that obviously had someone pushing the productions values on it (the paper is so nice!) that makes it kind of special in a very simple way. An instructional book for people that want to know about this stuff and don't. I do recommend it as a small, clear book on pretty complicated things.

[Freek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heel leuk om een notie te krijgen van relativiteit, en inspirerend hoe contra-intuïtief de fysische realiteit kan zijn. De visualisatie en het begrip van “ruimtetijd” wordt duidelijk uitgelegd. “Energieimpuls” is moeilijker te volgen.

Soms (maar zeker niet altijd) zijn de grote sprongen in moeilijkheidsgraad niet gekaderd, waardoor je als lezer niet weet of je iets moet proberen snappen op basis van eerder gegeven informatie of iets moet aannemen als feit, waarbij de afleiding niet aan bod komt. Dat vind ik frustrerend. Als ik het nog eens lees (en dan wel de oefeningen maak) verwacht ik dat dit wel duidelijker wordt.

[Richard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not be fooled by the small size of this book. It does not simplify anything and explains nothing of Special Relativity, except to those already in the know.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Totally over my head, of course, but an interesting presentation. Certainly one I'll come back to the next time I'm convinced I can understand this stuff!