Related papers: Relativity in Introductory Physics
Gunnar Nordstrom constructed the first relativistic theory of gravitation formulated in terms of interactions with a scalar field. It was an important precursor to Einstein's general theory of relativity a couple of years later. He was also…
Starting from noncommutative generalization of Minkowski space we consider quantum deformed relativistic symmetries which lead to the modification of kinematics of special relativity. The noncommutative field theory framework described by…
Contemporary relativity theory is restricted in two points: (1) a use of the Riemannian space-time geometry and (2) a use of inadequate (nonrelativistic) concepts. Reasons of these restrictions are analysed in [1]. Eliminating these…
We present a phase-based formulation of special relativity in which the kinematical structure of the theory is reconstructed from the requirement of phase coherence of localized wave states. Starting from the assumption that physical…
Introducing Modern Physics represents an increasingly urgent need, towards which physics education concentrates many efforts. In order to contribute to this attempt, at the Department of Mathematics and Physics of Roma Tre University in…
We give a pedagogical introduction into an old, but unfortunately not commonly known formulation of GR in terms of self-dual two-forms due to in particular Jerzy Plebanski. Our presentation is rather explicit in that we show how the…
In this work, Einstein's view of geometry as physical geometry is taken into account in the analysis of diverse issues related to the notions of inertial motion and inertial reference frame. Einstein's physical geometry enables a…
In order to ask for future concepts of relativity, one has to build upon the original concepts instead of the nowadays common formalism only, and as such recall and reconsider some of its roots in geometry. So in order to discuss 3-space…
Minkowski spacetime is a convenient setting for the study of the relativistic dynamics of particles and fields in the vacuum. In order to study events that occur in a dielectric or other linear medium, we adopt the familiar continuum…
This short exposition starts with a brief discussion of situation before the completion of special relativity (Le Verrier's discovery of the Mercury perihelion advance anomaly, Michelson-Morley experiment, E\"otv\"os experiment, Newcomb's…
This work places the invariant $ds^2$ at the center of the gravitational interaction, interpreting it not as a purely geometric object but as the differential of proper time, endowed with direct physical meaning. Starting from the extension…
At the end of the 19th century light was regarded as an electromagnetic wave propagating in a material medium called ether. The speed c appearing in Maxwell's wave equations was the speed of light with respect to the ether. Therefore,…
In 1945 Einstein concluded that [1]: 'The present theory of relativity is based on a division of physical reality into a metric field (gravitation) on the one hand, and into an electromagnetic field and matter on the other hand. In reality…
The goal of this lecture is to introduce the student to the theory of Special Relativity. Not to overload the content with mathematics, the author will stick to the simplest cases; in particular only reference frames using Cartesian…
A thorough study and analysis on the conceptual foundations of unimodular gravity shows that this theory is essentially general relativity disguised as unimodular relativity in the literature. The main reason for this dilemma is accepting…
The development of both special and general relativity is accomplished in a series of 6 papers using a simple approach. The purpose is to explain the how and why of relativity to a broad public, and to be useful for students of physics by…
A covariant reformulation of General Relativity is briefly considered from three points of view: geometrodynamics, Lagrange-Euler field theory, and gauge field theory. From a geometrodynamics perspective, a definition of the reference frame…
Einstein based his special theory of relativity on two postulates: (a) physical laws appear the same in all inertial frames, and (b) the speed of light in vacuum is an observer-independent constant. However, it is already known that the…
Einstein's general theory of relativity is the standard theory of gravity, especially where the needs of astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology and fundamental physics are concerned. As such, this theory is used for many practical purposes…
The Einstein postulates assert an invariance of the propagation speed of light in vacuum for any observer, and which amounts to a presumed absence of any preferred frame. The postulates appear to be directly linked to relativistic effects…