What do you think?
Rate this book
Relativity free of Folklore #6
Galloping with Light - The Special Theory of Relativity
This e-book corresponds to Chapter 6 of the printed book entitled "Galloping with Light - Einstein, Relativity, and Folklore", and is the number six of the e-Series titled "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) Did you know that the vicious logical cycle existing between the notions of speed and simultaneity is the only real reason why time is relative?
3) How is it possible that, as an object moves faster and faster, its length decreases until disappearing but, paradoxically, its mass becomes infinite?
4) If time is relative, does it mean that for some alien watching me from another world, I could have written my book before I was born?
5) If time is relative, does it mean that for some extraterrestrial watching you from another world, you could have purchased my book before I wrote it?
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) Did you know that the vicious logical cycle existing between the notions of speed and simultaneity is the only real reason why time is relative?
3) How is it possible that, as an object moves faster and faster, its length decreases until disappearing but, paradoxically, its mass becomes infinite?
4) If time is relative, does it mean that for some alien watching me from another world, I could have written my book before I was born?
5) If time is relative, does it mean that for some extraterrestrial watching you from another world, you could have purchased my book before I wrote it?
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.
97 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2011
3 people are currently reading
4 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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 28, 2012
Special relativity illuminated in such an enchanting way!
This Chapter is like a deLIGHTful jigsaw puzzle! To get a proper grasp of the Theory of Special Relativity, the reader has to fit together so many pieces of knowledge from Chapters 1-5, as well as the new ones from this Chapter. Fortunately, a variety of means of transport (a train, a car, a spaceship, all sorts of miraculous horses, ...) and thorough instructions, accompanied with excellently deployed signposts (i.e. diagrams and graphs), help the reader to get a wonderfully clear picture of:
- the behavior of light (i.e. electromagnetic radiation) and the reasons for its limit speed,
- the difference between Minkowski's "space-time" and classical "space" and "time",
- the concept of the tetra-dimensional "event interval" (i.e. "space-time interval"),
- the classical vs. relativistic notions of Past, Present and Future,
- the role of Einstein's definition of the relativity of simultaneity in the interpretation of the relativistic contraction of space and dilation of time, wonderfully well-explained through illustrative examples with two lightning bolts, an optical clock, the first episode of a space-flight serial concerning the so-called "twins' paradox" (to be continued in Chapter 7) and the real case of cosmic radiation measured in the experiment on Mount Washington.
The above is, again, interwoven with the amazingly well weighed-out additional information and historical reviews:
- a brief review of the principles of relativity throughout history, and the birth of the concept of the Principle of Special Relativity (Poincaré) ,
- the birth of Einstein's two postulates, i.e. the Principle of Special Relativity and the Principle of the Constant Velocity of Light in Vacuum,
- Einstein's interpretation of the Lorentz Transformation and Fitzgerald/Lorentz contraction of bodies and dilation of time,
- a brief explanation of other tetra-dimensional absolute magnitudes (momentum-energy, the electromagnetic field),
- an explanation why Special Relativity, even though it is strictly valid for Inertial Frames only, has had and continues to have an astonishing success.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Whoops! ... From an amphibious horse, I jumped on a wild one and tried to flash through Minkowski's "space-time" with the speed of light! ... Naturally, I saw nothing but a blur!
It took me a couple of pages to realize that I was observing things from the wrong frame of reference. When I jumped back into a less exotic vehicle (and remembered to bookmark the pages with the graphs so as to be able to follow the instructions more easily), everything became clear again and went on pretty smoothly. Though, to tell the truth, I needed an extra day or two to digest the concepts of the light-like, time-like and space-like event intervals properly.
And ... despite the convincing Mount Washington experiment, I still can't believe that the astronaut on the flight to Gliese 581 will come back younger than her/his sometime age-peers on Earth. What about the absolute event interval in this case?
This Chapter is like a deLIGHTful jigsaw puzzle! To get a proper grasp of the Theory of Special Relativity, the reader has to fit together so many pieces of knowledge from Chapters 1-5, as well as the new ones from this Chapter. Fortunately, a variety of means of transport (a train, a car, a spaceship, all sorts of miraculous horses, ...) and thorough instructions, accompanied with excellently deployed signposts (i.e. diagrams and graphs), help the reader to get a wonderfully clear picture of:
- the behavior of light (i.e. electromagnetic radiation) and the reasons for its limit speed,
- the difference between Minkowski's "space-time" and classical "space" and "time",
- the concept of the tetra-dimensional "event interval" (i.e. "space-time interval"),
- the classical vs. relativistic notions of Past, Present and Future,
- the role of Einstein's definition of the relativity of simultaneity in the interpretation of the relativistic contraction of space and dilation of time, wonderfully well-explained through illustrative examples with two lightning bolts, an optical clock, the first episode of a space-flight serial concerning the so-called "twins' paradox" (to be continued in Chapter 7) and the real case of cosmic radiation measured in the experiment on Mount Washington.
The above is, again, interwoven with the amazingly well weighed-out additional information and historical reviews:
- a brief review of the principles of relativity throughout history, and the birth of the concept of the Principle of Special Relativity (Poincaré) ,
- the birth of Einstein's two postulates, i.e. the Principle of Special Relativity and the Principle of the Constant Velocity of Light in Vacuum,
- Einstein's interpretation of the Lorentz Transformation and Fitzgerald/Lorentz contraction of bodies and dilation of time,
- a brief explanation of other tetra-dimensional absolute magnitudes (momentum-energy, the electromagnetic field),
- an explanation why Special Relativity, even though it is strictly valid for Inertial Frames only, has had and continues to have an astonishing success.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Whoops! ... From an amphibious horse, I jumped on a wild one and tried to flash through Minkowski's "space-time" with the speed of light! ... Naturally, I saw nothing but a blur!
It took me a couple of pages to realize that I was observing things from the wrong frame of reference. When I jumped back into a less exotic vehicle (and remembered to bookmark the pages with the graphs so as to be able to follow the instructions more easily), everything became clear again and went on pretty smoothly. Though, to tell the truth, I needed an extra day or two to digest the concepts of the light-like, time-like and space-like event intervals properly.
And ... despite the convincing Mount Washington experiment, I still can't believe that the astronaut on the flight to Gliese 581 will come back younger than her/his sometime age-peers on Earth. What about the absolute event interval in this case?
Displaying 1 of 1 review