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Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity

Approx. 81 hours to complete

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Course Summary

In this course, you will learn the foundations of Einstein's theory of relativity and its impact on modern physics.

Key Learning Points

Understand the principles of relativity and how it differs from classical mechanics.
Explore the relationship between space and time.
Learn about the implications of relativity on astrophysics and cosmology.

Learning Outcomes

Understand the principles of relativity and its impact on modern physics.
Gain insight into the relationship between space and time.
Explore the implications of relativity on astrophysics and cosmology.

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of calculus and physics concepts.
Familiarity with classical mechanics.

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

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Description

In this course we will seek to “understand Einstein,” especially focusing on the special theory of relativity that Albert Einstein, as a twenty-six year old patent clerk, introduced in his “miracle year” of 1905. Our goal will be to go behind the myth-making and beyond the popularized presentations of relativity in order to gain a deeper understanding of both Einstein the person and the concepts, predictions, and strange paradoxes of his theory. Some of the questions we will address include: How did Einstein come up with his ideas? What was the nature of his genius? What is the meaning of relativity? What’s “special” about the special theory of relativity? Why did the theory initially seem to be dead on arrival? What does it mean to say that time is the “fourth dimension”? Can time actually run more slowly for one person than another, and the size of things change depending on their velocity? Is time travel possible, and if so, how? Why can’t things travel faster than the speed of light? Is it possible to travel to the center of the galaxy and return in one lifetime? Is there any evidence that definitively confirms the theory, or is it mainly speculation? Why didn’t Einstein win the Nobel Prize for the theory of relativity?

About the instructor: Dr. Larry Lagerstrom is the Director of Academic Programs at Stanford University’s Center for Professional Development, which offers graduate certificates in subjects such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, data mining, nanotechnology, innovation, and management science. He holds degrees in physics, mathematics, and the history of science, has published a book and a TED Ed video on "Young Einstein: From the Doxerl Affair to the Miracle Year," and has had over 30,000 students worldwide enroll in his online course on the special theory of relativity (this course!).

Outline

Introduction to the Course, and Einstein in Context
Why take this course?
Course overview
How to succeed in the course
Rules of engagement
Math review
Week 1 introduction
Physics and Einstein circa 1900
To the miracle year
The miracle year
Course overview (outline)
How to succeed in the course (outline)
Rules of engagement (outline)
Math review (outline)
Week 1 introduction (outline)
Physics and Einstein circa 1900 (outline)
To the miracle year (outline)
The miracle year (outline)
Physics and Einstein circa 1900
To the miracle year
The miracle year
Week 1 final quiz

Events, Clocks, and Reference Frames
Week 2 introduction
Events, clocks, and observers (part 1)
Events, clocks, and observers (part 2)
Spacetime diagrams (part 1)
Spacetime diagrams (part 2)
Frames of reference (part 1)
Frames of reference (part 2)
Frames of reference (part 3)
A few more words on world lines
The Galilean transformation
Week 2 summary
Week 2 introduction (outline)
Events, clocks, and observers (part 1) (outline)
Events, clocks, and observers (part 2) (outline)
Spacetime diagrams (part 1) (outline)
Spacetime diagrams (part 2) (outline)
Frames of reference (part 1) (outline)
Frames of reference (part 2) (outline)
Frames of reference (part 3) (outline)
A few more words on world lines (outline)
The Galilean transformation (outline)
Week 2 problem set (optional)
Week 2 problem set solutions
Events, clocks, and observers (parts 1 and 2)
Spacetime diagrams (part 1)
Spacetime diagrams (part 2)
Frames of reference (part 1)
Frames of reference (part 2)
Frames of reference (part 3)
A few more words on world lines
The Galilean transformation
Week 2 final quiz

Ethereal Problems and Solutions
Week 3 introduction
Einstein's starting point: the two postulates
A few words about waves (part 1)
A few words about waves (part 2)
A few words about waves (part 3)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 1)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 2)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 3)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 4)
Stellar aberration
Ethereal solutions
Week 3 summary
Week 3 introduction (outline)
A note on "Einstein and God"
A note on wave-particle duality and the nature of light
Einstein's starting point: the two postulates (outline)
A few words about waves (part 1) (outline)
A few words about waves (part 2) (outline)
A few words about waves (part 3) (outline)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 1) (outline)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 2) (outline)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 3) (outline)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (part 4) (outline)
Stellar aberration (outline)
Ethereal solutions (outline)
Week 3 problem set (optional)
Week 3 problem set solutions
Einstein's starting point: the two postulates
A few words about waves (parts 1, 2, and 3)
The Michelson-Morley experiment (all parts)
Stellar aberration
Ethereal solutions
Week 3 final quiz

The Weirdness Begins
Week 4 introduction
The relativity of simultaneity (part 1)
The relativity of simultaneity (part 2)
The relativity of simultaneity (part 3)
The relativity of simultaneity (summary)
The light clock (part 1)
The light clock (part 2)
Exploring the Lorentz factor
Time dilation
Measuring length
What is not suspect
The invariant interval
A real-life example: the muon
Week 4 summary
Week 4 introduction (outline)
The relativity of simultaneity (diagram 1)
The relativity of simultaneity (diagram 2)
The relativity of simultaneity (diagram 3)
The relativity of simultaneity (leading clocks lag diagram)
The light clock (part 1) (outline)
The light clock (part 2) (outline)
Exploring the Lorentz factor (outline)
Time dilation (outline)
Measuring length (diagram)
What is not suspect (outline)
The invariant interval (outline)
A real-life example: the muon (outline)
Week 4 problem set (optional)
Week 4 problem set solutions
The relativity of simultaneity (parts 1 and 2)
The relativity of simultaneity (part 3)
The relativity of simultaneity (summary)
The light clock and exploring the Lorentz factor
Time dilation
Measuring length
What is not suspect, and the invariant interval
The muon
Week 4 final quiz

Spacetime Switches
Week 5 introduction
Units for the speed of light
Exploring time dilation and length contraction (part 1)
The Lorentz transformation (part 1)
The Lorentz transformation (part 2)
The Lorentz transformation (part 3)
Exploring the Lorentz transformation (part 1)
Exploring the Lorentz transformation (part 2)
Exploring the Lorentz transformation (part 3)
Leading clocks lag, revisited (a quantitative analysis)
Leading clocks lag, revisited (alternate shorter version)
Exploring time dilation and length contraction (part 2)
Combining velocities
Combining velocities, addendum
The ultimate speed limit
What happens with perpendicular velocities?
Week 5 summary
Week 5 introduction (outline)
Units for the speed of light (outline)
Exploring time dilation and length contraction (part 1) (outline)
The Lorentz transformation (part 1) (outline)
The Lorentz transformation (part 2) (outline)
The Lorentz transformation (part 3) (outline)
Exploring the Lorentz transformation (part 1) (outline)
Exploring the Lorentz transformation (part 2) (outline)
Exploring the Lorentz transformation (part 3) (outline)
Leading clocks lag, revisited (outline)
Exploring time dilation and length contraction (part 2) (outline)
Combining velocities (outline)
The ultimate speed limit (outline)
What happens with perpendicular velocities? (outline)
Week 5 problem set (optional)
Week 5 problem set solutions
Units for the speed of light
Exploring time dilation and length contraction (part 1)
The Lorentz transformation (parts 1, 2, and 3)
Exploring the Lorentz transformation (parts 1, 2, and 3)
Leading clocks lag, revisited
Exploring time dilation and length contraction (part 2)
Combining velocities
The ultimate speed limit
What happens with perpendicular velocities?
Week 5 final quiz

Breaking the Spacetime Speed Limit
Week 6 introduction
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 1a)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 1b)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 2)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 3)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 4)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 5)
Regions of spacetime
Faster than light?
Cause and effect, or vice versa?
Week 6 summary
Week 6 introduction (outline)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (parts 1a and 1b) (outline)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 2) (outline)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 3) (outline)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 4) (outline)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 5) (outline)
Regions of spacetime (outline)
Faster than light? (outline)
Cause and effect, or vice versa? (outline)
Week 6 problem set (optional)
Week 6 problem set solutions
Spacetime diagrams revisited (parts 1a and 1b)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 2)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (parts 3 and 4)
Spacetime diagrams revisited (part 5)
Regions of spacetime
Faster than light?
Cause and effect, or vice versa?
Week 6 final quiz

Paradoxes to Ponder
Week 7 introduction
Cause and effect: spacetime diagram
The pole in the barn paradox
The pole in the barn: spacetime diagram
How objects contract
Spaceships on a rope
The twin paradox (part 1)
The twin paradox (part 2)
The twin paradox (part 3)
The twin paradox (part 4)
Week 7 summary
Week 7 introduction (outline)
Cause and effect: spacetime diagram (outline)
The pole in the barn paradox (outline)
The pole in the barn: spacetime diagram (outline)
How objects contract (outline)
Spaceships on a rope (outline)
The twin paradox (part 1) (outline)
The twin paradox (part 2) (outline)
The twin paradox (part 3) (outline)
The twin paradox (part 4) (outline)
Week 7 problem set (optional)
Week 7 problem set solutions
Cause and effect: spacetime diagram
The pole in the barn paradox and spacetime diagram
How objects contract, and spaceships on a rope
The twin paradox (parts 1-4)
Week 7 final quiz

To the Center of the Galaxy and Back
Week 8 introduction
Traveling the galaxy (part 1)
The famous equation
Traveling the galaxy (part 2)
The happiest thought
The bending of light
Final comments
Week 8 summary
Course recap
Week 8 introduction (outline)
Traveling the galaxy (part 1) (outline)
The famous equation (outline)
Traveling the galaxy (part 2) (outline)
The happiest thought (outline)
The bending of light (outline)
Final comments (outline)
Suggested books for further reading
Week 8 problem set (optional)
Week 8 problem set solutions
Traveling the galaxy (part 1)
The famous equation
Traveling the galaxy (part 2)
The happiest thought
The bending of light
Final comments
Week 8 final quiz

Summary of User Reviews

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

engaging and insightful lectures

Pros from User Reviews

Clear explanations of complex concepts
In-depth coverage of Einstein's theory of relativity
Excellent video and audio quality
Opportunities for discussion and interaction with other learners

Cons from User Reviews

Challenging material that may require a strong background in math and physics
Some users have reported technical difficulties with the platform
Limited opportunities for personalized feedback from instructors
Some users have found the pace of the course to be too fast

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