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Relativity free of Folklore #3
The Perception of Space... and its Measurement
This e-book corresponds to Chapter 3 of the printed book entitled "Galloping with Light - Einstein, Relativity, and Folklore", and is the third of the e-Series entitled "Relativity free of Folklore".
Because you deserve more than just folklore, in this e-book you will find the surprising answers to the following intriguing questions:
1) Do we really know what Space is? How is it perceived and how is it measured?
2) What do we mean when we say that an object is rigid?
3) If all the objects in our Universe contracted or expanded overnight in the same proportion, could we know they did?
4) What do we mean by the length of an object?
5) Are the measurements of length and time completely independent?
6) What in the world did Einstein mean when he said that the space where we live is curved?
The fact that the reader may not have a scientific education does not mean that s/he does not have the intelligence to understand profound concepts -- as long as they are presented with semantic and epistemological clarity. After all, Einstein said that Science is simply the refinement of our intuition and everyday experiences.
Because you deserve more than just folklore, in this e-book you will find the surprising answers to the following intriguing questions:
1) Do we really know what Space is? How is it perceived and how is it measured?
2) What do we mean when we say that an object is rigid?
3) If all the objects in our Universe contracted or expanded overnight in the same proportion, could we know they did?
4) What do we mean by the length of an object?
5) Are the measurements of length and time completely independent?
6) What in the world did Einstein mean when he said that the space where we live is curved?
The fact that the reader may not have a scientific education does not mean that s/he does not have the intelligence to understand profound concepts -- as long as they are presented with semantic and epistemological clarity. After all, Einstein said that Science is simply the refinement of our intuition and everyday experiences.
63 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2011
2 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Felix Alba-Juez
13 books32 followersFelix was born in Burgos (Spain) in 1948. In 1949, his parents settled in Necochea (Argentina) where he completed his elementary and high school education. In 1966 he moved to Bahía Blanca (Argentina) where he graduated in Electrical Engineering at the 'Universidad Nacional del Sur' (UNS). In 1971, he started his academic life as Teaching Assistant of Mathematics at the UNS and, from 1974 until to 1983, he was Adjunct, Associate, and Full Professor at the 'Universidad Nacional de San Juan' in San Juan, Argentina.
In 1983, he moved to Salt Lake City, USA as Postdoctoral Fellow and soon after Research Associate for the Department of Metallurgy at the University of Utah, conducting basic Research and Development on Optimal Control of Mineral Grinding Operations.
In 1987, he left Academia and founded his own consulting company working over the years with private companies and governmental entities as DuPont, ALCOA, US Department of Transportation, NASA, and Dow Chemical. His first patent was granted in 1992 in USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan, protecting a technology based on ultrasonic spectroscopy for measuring particle size in industrial suspensions and emulsions.
In the period 1997-2001, Felix developed a fundamental theory for the generic mathematical modeling of multiple scattering of optical and acoustical waves interacting with highly-concentrated suspensions and emulsions.
During 2001-2007, he developed a particle size analyzer based on optical spectroscopy, and commercialized a generic simulation software tool connectable to acoustic and optical spectrometers, so as to convert them into particle size analyzers. The patent for this generic technology was granted in 2007.
In 2008, Felix sold all his intellectual property to Agilent Technologies, Inc, and currently is a scientific consultant, and writes Popular Science books on Epistemology and Philosophy of Science in English and Spanish. His first book in Spanish on the Theory of Relativity was published in 2009 by the 'Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, S.A.' in Valencia (Spain).
Since October 2013, Felix is back to Academia as a Research Professor for the Department of Metallurgical Engineering of the University of Utah. He is also working on the e-series 'Quantum Physics free of Folklore' of which 'Records of the Future' is its first volume published in January 2013.
Félix Alba-Juez Nació en Burgos (España) en 1948. En 1949, sus padres se establecieron en Necochea (Argentina) donde completó su educación primaria y secundaria. En 1966 se trasladó a Bahía Blanca donde se graduó en Ingeniería Eléctrica en la Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS) en 1974. Mientras fue estudiante, se desempeñó como Asistente de Docencia en el Departamento de Matemática de la UNS. Durante los años 1974 hasta 1983, fue Profesor Adjunto, Asociado, y Titular en la Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina.
En 1983, se trasladó a USA donde se desempeñó como 'Post-Doctoral Fellow' y luego 'Research Associate' en el Departamento de Metalurgia de la Universidad de Utah, conduciendo investigación básica en teoría del control óptimo, y asesorando a estudiantes de doctorado en el control óptimo de la molienda de minerales.
En 1987, se estableció como consultor independiente trabajando para entidades como DuPont, ALCOA, Dow Chemical, 'US Department of Transportation', y NASA. Su primera patente fue otorgada en 1992 en USA, Inglaterra, Francia, Alemania y Japón, protegiendo una tecnología de medición de tamaño de partícula basada en espectroscopia de ultrasonido.
Durante 1997-2001, desarrolló una nueva teoría física para modelar genéricamente la reflexión, refracción, difracción, y absorción múltiple de ondas ópticas y ultrasónicas interactuando con suspensiones altamente concentradas.
En el período 2001-2007, desarrolló un analizador de tamaño de partícula basado en espectroscopia óptica, y comercializó una herramienta de simulación genérica para conectar a espectrómetros
In 1983, he moved to Salt Lake City, USA as Postdoctoral Fellow and soon after Research Associate for the Department of Metallurgy at the University of Utah, conducting basic Research and Development on Optimal Control of Mineral Grinding Operations.
In 1987, he left Academia and founded his own consulting company working over the years with private companies and governmental entities as DuPont, ALCOA, US Department of Transportation, NASA, and Dow Chemical. His first patent was granted in 1992 in USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan, protecting a technology based on ultrasonic spectroscopy for measuring particle size in industrial suspensions and emulsions.
In the period 1997-2001, Felix developed a fundamental theory for the generic mathematical modeling of multiple scattering of optical and acoustical waves interacting with highly-concentrated suspensions and emulsions.
During 2001-2007, he developed a particle size analyzer based on optical spectroscopy, and commercialized a generic simulation software tool connectable to acoustic and optical spectrometers, so as to convert them into particle size analyzers. The patent for this generic technology was granted in 2007.
In 2008, Felix sold all his intellectual property to Agilent Technologies, Inc, and currently is a scientific consultant, and writes Popular Science books on Epistemology and Philosophy of Science in English and Spanish. His first book in Spanish on the Theory of Relativity was published in 2009 by the 'Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, S.A.' in Valencia (Spain).
Since October 2013, Felix is back to Academia as a Research Professor for the Department of Metallurgical Engineering of the University of Utah. He is also working on the e-series 'Quantum Physics free of Folklore' of which 'Records of the Future' is its first volume published in January 2013.
Félix Alba-Juez Nació en Burgos (España) en 1948. En 1949, sus padres se establecieron en Necochea (Argentina) donde completó su educación primaria y secundaria. En 1966 se trasladó a Bahía Blanca donde se graduó en Ingeniería Eléctrica en la Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS) en 1974. Mientras fue estudiante, se desempeñó como Asistente de Docencia en el Departamento de Matemática de la UNS. Durante los años 1974 hasta 1983, fue Profesor Adjunto, Asociado, y Titular en la Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina.
En 1983, se trasladó a USA donde se desempeñó como 'Post-Doctoral Fellow' y luego 'Research Associate' en el Departamento de Metalurgia de la Universidad de Utah, conduciendo investigación básica en teoría del control óptimo, y asesorando a estudiantes de doctorado en el control óptimo de la molienda de minerales.
En 1987, se estableció como consultor independiente trabajando para entidades como DuPont, ALCOA, Dow Chemical, 'US Department of Transportation', y NASA. Su primera patente fue otorgada en 1992 en USA, Inglaterra, Francia, Alemania y Japón, protegiendo una tecnología de medición de tamaño de partícula basada en espectroscopia de ultrasonido.
Durante 1997-2001, desarrolló una nueva teoría física para modelar genéricamente la reflexión, refracción, difracción, y absorción múltiple de ondas ópticas y ultrasónicas interactuando con suspensiones altamente concentradas.
En el período 2001-2007, desarrolló un analizador de tamaño de partícula basado en espectroscopia óptica, y comercializó una herramienta de simulación genérica para conectar a espectrómetros
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 12, 2012
A rewarding experience! Burns the fog off!
Let me begin with my "scientific" background:
Since I graduated from high school, my contact with mathematics and physics has been reduced to the four basic mathematical operations needed in everyday life (and in my job I rarely need even that much).
Nevertheless, I'm interested in cosmology and modern physics developments and I've read some popular science books such as Carl Sagan's "Cosmos", Brian Greene's "Elegant Universe, ...", Stephen Hawking's "Brief (as well as Briefer) History of Time" and a short book about Einstein and his Theory of Relativity (I can't remember the author of the book).
As I'm not among "the mathematically inclined", I had troubles with some explanations because they were either incomprehensible to me or so simplified that they conveyed just a vague idea.
So I did some "Kindling", looking for a book that might clarify the things to me. That's how I encountered the e-Series "Relativity Free of Folklore" and decided to give it a try. My best move so far!
Let me now share my impressions concerning Chapter/e-Book 3 of "Relativity Free of Folkore":
In my previous "scientific" experience, I had real troubles with imagining "the fabric of cosmos" and "the warping of space and time". I always ended up imagining a transparent huge balloon or lifebelt (at best), made of some intangible and immaterial material ... and at this point the product of my imagination would inevitably dissolve.
I was, therefore, really curious to find out whether Chapter/e-Book 3 of this e-Series would be of any help in that sense. Oh yes, it was!
Chapter/e-Book 3 helped me to re-direct my mind and now I'm able to think about the shape (i.e. geometry) of intangible and immaterial space. I now even know how the geometry of space can be determined. To be clear, I've figured out the how-to-do-it principles, I was not expected to do any calculations.
Together with some very wellcome clarifications in Chapters 1 & 2, the third Chapter also offers a clear, concrete and consistent explanation to the question why Einstein decided to interpret gravity as "the warping of space and time".
In short, in this Chapter you will find excellent, reality-oriented explanations and quite appropriately incorporated historic overviews of the following:
- What is Space (The Ontology of Space Throughout History),
- The Euclidean Dogma and its Fall,
- Subjective Space (Perception) vs. Objective Space (Measurement)
- Topological and Metric Properties of Objective Space,
- Gravity and Local Curvature of Space (General Theory of Relativity),
- The Length of Distant Bodies,
- Length of a Body in Motion and Its Relation with the Notion of Simultaneity,
- Historic Evolution of the Measurement of Length up to the current Unit.
My Personal Log Notes:
This "voyage throughout space" (i.e. Chapter 3) took me a bit longer than I had expected.
When I met the "bi-dimensional Spheretians", I felt compelled to re-start from the beginning, with my eyes and mind wide open this time, in order to clear up some "cultural" (i.e. geometric) misunderstandings. I had to correct my wrong notions of "straight" and "curved" lines, shortest distances and to get rid of my deeply-rooted "flat-minded" (i.e. Euclidean) way of thinking. I'm now ashamed to admit that, at one point, I started digging through the Earth to get to its centre and, even worse, I tried to stretch the lines of latitude into Euclidean straight lines. (To my defence, the latter was partly due to unfortunate interference of my mother tongue.) Luckily, I'm not a big manual worker and gave up soon enough! Otherwise, I'm afraid to think what could have happened to our Earth ... :(
By the way, these "Spheretians" are much smarter than the bi-dimensional beings I had met in other popular science books, smarter even than most tri-dimensional beings, myself included (as you could see above). Unlike the other bi-dimensional beings, who serve just as an example why the tri-dimensional beings can't see the "higher" dimension(s), the "Spheretians" showed me the way how to get rid of my "flat-mindedness" and the way to understanding a warped/curved space (a Riemannian space and its tensors of curvature).
Let me begin with my "scientific" background:
Since I graduated from high school, my contact with mathematics and physics has been reduced to the four basic mathematical operations needed in everyday life (and in my job I rarely need even that much).
Nevertheless, I'm interested in cosmology and modern physics developments and I've read some popular science books such as Carl Sagan's "Cosmos", Brian Greene's "Elegant Universe, ...", Stephen Hawking's "Brief (as well as Briefer) History of Time" and a short book about Einstein and his Theory of Relativity (I can't remember the author of the book).
As I'm not among "the mathematically inclined", I had troubles with some explanations because they were either incomprehensible to me or so simplified that they conveyed just a vague idea.
So I did some "Kindling", looking for a book that might clarify the things to me. That's how I encountered the e-Series "Relativity Free of Folklore" and decided to give it a try. My best move so far!
Let me now share my impressions concerning Chapter/e-Book 3 of "Relativity Free of Folkore":
In my previous "scientific" experience, I had real troubles with imagining "the fabric of cosmos" and "the warping of space and time". I always ended up imagining a transparent huge balloon or lifebelt (at best), made of some intangible and immaterial material ... and at this point the product of my imagination would inevitably dissolve.
I was, therefore, really curious to find out whether Chapter/e-Book 3 of this e-Series would be of any help in that sense. Oh yes, it was!
Chapter/e-Book 3 helped me to re-direct my mind and now I'm able to think about the shape (i.e. geometry) of intangible and immaterial space. I now even know how the geometry of space can be determined. To be clear, I've figured out the how-to-do-it principles, I was not expected to do any calculations.
Together with some very wellcome clarifications in Chapters 1 & 2, the third Chapter also offers a clear, concrete and consistent explanation to the question why Einstein decided to interpret gravity as "the warping of space and time".
In short, in this Chapter you will find excellent, reality-oriented explanations and quite appropriately incorporated historic overviews of the following:
- What is Space (The Ontology of Space Throughout History),
- The Euclidean Dogma and its Fall,
- Subjective Space (Perception) vs. Objective Space (Measurement)
- Topological and Metric Properties of Objective Space,
- Gravity and Local Curvature of Space (General Theory of Relativity),
- The Length of Distant Bodies,
- Length of a Body in Motion and Its Relation with the Notion of Simultaneity,
- Historic Evolution of the Measurement of Length up to the current Unit.
My Personal Log Notes:
This "voyage throughout space" (i.e. Chapter 3) took me a bit longer than I had expected.
When I met the "bi-dimensional Spheretians", I felt compelled to re-start from the beginning, with my eyes and mind wide open this time, in order to clear up some "cultural" (i.e. geometric) misunderstandings. I had to correct my wrong notions of "straight" and "curved" lines, shortest distances and to get rid of my deeply-rooted "flat-minded" (i.e. Euclidean) way of thinking. I'm now ashamed to admit that, at one point, I started digging through the Earth to get to its centre and, even worse, I tried to stretch the lines of latitude into Euclidean straight lines. (To my defence, the latter was partly due to unfortunate interference of my mother tongue.) Luckily, I'm not a big manual worker and gave up soon enough! Otherwise, I'm afraid to think what could have happened to our Earth ... :(
By the way, these "Spheretians" are much smarter than the bi-dimensional beings I had met in other popular science books, smarter even than most tri-dimensional beings, myself included (as you could see above). Unlike the other bi-dimensional beings, who serve just as an example why the tri-dimensional beings can't see the "higher" dimension(s), the "Spheretians" showed me the way how to get rid of my "flat-mindedness" and the way to understanding a warped/curved space (a Riemannian space and its tensors of curvature).
Displaying 1 of 1 review