Customer Reviews

Simply Einstein: Relativity Demystified

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Simply Einstein is the best layman's (people such as me) guide to relativity that I have come across in my attempts to gain some understanding of the subject. I have been a science fiction fan since the early Star Trek days and assumed inter-stellar travel's certainty sometime in the near future. I was quite disappointed when a college friend became the bearer of bad news and told me that faster than light travel is impossible. Nearly as disappointing, as I learned more through the years, is the enormous difficulty of getting anywhere near the speed of light. Since then I have been instantly attracted to any article that discusses ways of getting around relativity. Needless to say Einstein's theories have held a fascination for me despite my educational background lacking even a high school physics course and no math past second year algebra. I have enjoyed numerous PBS specials, which touched on the subject as well as books such as The Idiots Guide to Understanding Einstein and E=MC2. Both are excellent and deserve high reviews. My attempts to understand relativity has been an occasional intellectual exercise for me in the same way that others enjoy puzzles, but the success of my efforts has been limited and elusive as touching a cloud.

I purchased Simply Einstein at an Einstein exhibit that has been touring the country. Don't miss it if it comes to your area! Many of the exhibits seemed to be inspired by this book. The author in over approximately 300 pages builds the case for relativity with the aid of a series of analogies and diagrams. He also periodically sums up the main points needed to understand in a clear and concise manner and repeats himself many times to make it sink in and remind the reader. This eliminates the problem of many similar books in which the critical points are stated once or are in a forest difficult to see because of the trees. Understanding the material in Simply Einstein is not a breeze, but if the reader is willing to put in the time and carefully study the examples, a higher level of understanding will be the reward. I am a long way from true understanding, but the level of mystery has been significantly reduced. The success of this book to me is demonstrated by my having reread it twice since buying it a couple of months ago. Perhaps the most satisfying part is at the end when the author remarks that due to the limitations of the human mind, relativity is something he cannot fully understand and doubts Einstein did either.

As this book makes clear, everything is not relative - but I would say that Richard Wolfson's attempt to describe Einstein's theories and their implications is relatively successful. He takes you toward Einsteinian thought one step at a time. First, he gives you a grounding in Newtonian physics, then walks you through Einstein's special theory of relativity, using a number of examples designed to simplify your conceptualization of ideas that tend to go against common sense thinking, and then he attempts to summarize Einstein's general theory of relativity - which, by its nature, is more difficult to expound upon using models and logical examples. Finally, he touches upon some of the implications of the general theory of relativity, giving the reader a quick trek through the notions of black holes, the future of the universe, and other largely astrophysical theories and concepts.

Simply Einstein is written for a layman audience, but it is by no means an easy read. I really believe you have to have at least some affinity with mathematics and logic in order to really grasp what Wolfson is saying. Of course, those with no such affinity will - I feel safe to say - never even think about reading a book such as this. Wolfson works very hard to provide numerous examples of the theories and concepts of Einsteinian thought, but you can't just breeze through these things and expect to have everything click into place automatically; oftentimes, you have to stop, review, and ponder what you have just read in order to truly get a handle on things. Wolfson's examples are, it seems to me, two-edged swords of a kind. If you know absolutely nothing about relativity, they are quite good and certainly helpful. If, however, you already have some familiarity with the space-time paradoxes of Einsteinian thought (the twin paradox, for example, or the space and time "distortions" of near-light speed travel), a few of Wolfson's examples muck up the water, at least temporarily - you basically have to forget what relativity theory you already know and start again from scratch in order to fully grasp what the author is attempting to show with each example.

Wolfson does do a great job demonstrating the significant differences between Newtonian physics and Einsteinian physics (as well as clearing up popular misconceptions about both subjects), and his information on gravity is enlightening and informative. By the time he gets around to stating that gravity is not a force per se, he has built the foundation upon which he can prove why this is the case. Going further, this allows him to offer an excellent explanation of the curvature of space-time owing to the presence of matter or energy throughout the universe.

If you just want to read about black holes and other fascinating aspects of the universe, this isn't the book for you. That kind of discussion is rather protracted here and comes only after a lot of theory has been introduced and described in some detail. Of course, to truly understand the strangest and most fascinating aspects of our universe, you really do need to have a decent grasp on the general theory of relativity, and this book makes for an excellent introduction to that very subject.

This is the best book I've read on Relativity. I think I understood all of it. The author emphasizes that the terminology you use can confuse people --- clocks don't really run slow, for example, it's just that your frame of reference is different so it seems that way.

The author does a good job explaining that gravity is a curve in spacetime. The book is full of helpful diagrams. I'm glad I found this one. Understanding Relativity is not easy, and even the smartest scientists have trouble explaining it. Wolfson got it right.

If you want to know more about relativity, at Amazon.com you can purchase lots of books. But where do you start?

Perhaps you have heard about general relativity [GR]. You might think you first have to learn GR. And then special relativity [SR] treats the special, more difficult cases of GR. That's wrong. Start with the relatively easy SR and then try the far more difficult GR. There are several books that treat SR at a level any intelligent person can handle. Most of them avoid mathematics. That's a pity. Mathematics aren't difficult in SR.

My introduction to SR was as follows:

I started with Relativity Visualized [Lewis Carroll Epstein] to acquire some feeling with SR.

Then I jumped to Space and Time in Special Relativity [N. David Mermin] that introduces lots of logical examples and thought experiments, I liked very much. After reading this book you are able to make your own thought experiments, which makes you more critical when reading 'other' books. Mermin shows you the difference between relativistic effects and non-relativistic effects of light traveling. Most books forget about this.

The next book was Understanding Relativity [Leo Sartori] who did a very good job on explaining Lorentz transformation and the corresponding spacetime diagrams.

I also read The Elegant Universe [Brian Greene] which is probably the best science book ever for a non-scientist. After reading about Calabi-Yau spaces you wonder what is the problem with understanding SR. I also read parts of Spacetime Physics [Taylor Wheeler] and I must say, Richard Wolfson explains some details of this book in a better way.

So Simply Einstein [Richard Wolfson] is a book I think is suitable for the more experienced reader in SR. It might not be the book to start with. Try some other books first. This book provides a very thorough summary of SR when you get lost in the other books. But after reading this book I was sure. Something is missing in educating SR and GR.

In SR most authors try to avoid mathematics while authors of GR books think you know everything about tensor calculus. At this moment I do not understand GR yet. SR is four dimensional, but spacetime diagrams are mostly two dimensional for easier understanding. Why can't GR books treat the subject two dimensional to start with? If anyone knows a books that fills the gap between SR an GR I would be glad to know.

Back to Wolfson's book. Wolfson did very well by, e.g. explaining time dilation mathematically and telling you difference between sound waves and electromagnetic waves with respect to relativity. But, as far as I know, no book deals with time dilation in conjunction with length contraction. I developed my own thought experiments. I hope to find in one of the Amazon books the solution to the problem I created.

Imagine a train, with a length of 180 meter, moving at 0.6c. The train goes forward 180 meter every microsecond. That makes calculations easy. Ground observers measure the length of the train contracted, 144 meters. As far as I know no book deals with the fact how contraction takes place. If contraction happens symmetrically [which I can prove it should] then, an acceleration of the train of 0.2c in 0.2 microseconds will contract the train to 108 meters. The middle of the train will move on with an average speed of 0.7c or 42 meters in 0.2 microseconds. Due to the contraction the back end of the train will be positioned at 54 meter from the middle of the train. This means that the back end of the train has moved 42 meter [during the time of acceleration] plus [72-54 = 18 meter] while contracting = 60 meter in 0.2 microseconds. If this happens the back end of the train moves at the speed of light, as measured by the ground observers. That is not possible. So one way or another time must act differently when the train is accelerating. And that is just the theme of GR.

Which author handles this theme and can provide a bridge between SR and GR? Where can I find examples on accelerating trains and the warping of time? Maybe in Richard Wolfson's new book? I'm waiting for it.

I have read most of the general treatments of relativity theory, including those by Einstein himself and Nobel Prize Winners Max Born and Richard Feynman as well as books by Martin Gardner and Lillian Lieber and this is far and away the best introduction (with Gardner's book a very close second). Professor Wolfson clearly lays out the basic principles of both the special and general theories of relativity (although most of the book is devoted to the special theory). He begins the book by providing a basic background in the ideas of Galileo, Newton and Maxwell; using these to describe the basics of frames of reference, planetary motion and the ether theory. He then describes the Michelson-Morley experiment and why their null result shows that the ether theory was incorrect. Then he uses this background to develop the basic idea of relativity, namely that "The laws of physics are the same in all uniformly moving reference frames.". This approach is different from that used by others (including Einstein and Gardner) who start from the problem of what is a simultaneous measurement. I found Wolfson's approach to be clearer and easier to follow, but it still requires that the reader closely follow the chain of thought developed by the author. This is not a book to casually read without thinking, but if you put in the effort you should be richly rewarded.

This book studiously avoids any math. In fact, in addition to stating E=Mc^2 and one or two other equations (which are just stated) there is no math in the text. (There is, however, a two-page appendix that derives the time dilation formula of special relativity using only the Pythagorean theorem and high school algebra, but this can be skipped if desired.) The decision to present relativity without any math means that there is no discussion of the transformation of coordinates when two systems are moving at a constant velocity relative to one another, and this means that the book does not discuss why such a transformation works for mechanics but not electromagnetic waves and why the Lorentz transformation must be used for the latter (and the fact that it also works for the former making it the correct overall approach). I do not feel that this is a serious deficiency, as it eliminates an approach that I feel is not absolutely necessary for an elementary presentation. Instead, there is a very clear presentation of the behavior of systems that are moving relative to one another at a constant velocity. The idea of time dilation is clearly presented and is illustrated by many different examples. Even though I was very familiar with the ideas that were presented, I learned a lot and a lot of questions that I had were answered.

General Relativity is discussed in terms of the idea of free fall, which is very clearly explained, as is the idea that a system in free fall is equivalent to one moving at a constant relative velocity. I now more clearly understand the idea of what free fall actually is and why a satellite, such as the space station, does not fall to earth under the action of the earth's "gravity". The word gravity is in quotes because book clearly shows that there is no such thing as "gravity", but that what we call gravity is just the result of the curvature of space. The book ends with a discussion of black holes and how Einstein's General Theory of Relativity has changed our view of time, space and the cosmos.

I would like to comment on two things brought up by other reviewers. One disliked the quality of the paper used in this paperback. Rest assured, there is nothing abnormal about the paper that has been used. It is coarse and non-glossy, but it is exactly the same sort that is used in many other paperback books. In fact, I rather like the use of non-glossy paper because I find that there is less light reflection from it, making the text easier to read. Another reviewer felt that the book was difficult to understand. Relativity is a non-intuitive concept and it requires concentration and a willingness to think very heard about the material that is being presented. You will have to work and concentrate to get the most from this book, but in my opinion this book is the clearest presentation that you are likely to find. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee that you will understand or accept everything that is being presented.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in relativity. I liked the way the material was organized, the inclusion of background material and the constant restatement of the basic idea of relativity. As mentioned, I liked the discussion of free fall, the principle of equivalence and how these tie together the special and general theories. This book is very suitable for those with a limited mathematics and physics background. I think that book really "demystifies" relativity. It is a great place to start if one is interested in this subject. After reading this book, I would recommend that one then read Gardner's book ("Relativity Simply Explained")as it provides a more conventional approach and then Einstein's book ("Relativity, The Special and General Theory")as it provides the math required for the special theory. As a follow on to these books, I would recommend Feynman's "Six Not So Easy Pieces" as it provides a little more math and a superb analysis of the Michelson-Morley experiment and a derivation of the Lorentz equations. Finally, if one is desirous of learning more about the mathematical basic of the general theory I would recommend Lieber's book ("The Einstein Theory of Relativity"), but be warned you will be exposed to tensor calculus if you do.

I started off with his lecture series 'Physics in Your Life' (TTC) and was awestruck by it's content, which was both informational as well as accessible. I decided to read this book on relativity, and boy does it blow my mind. I've tried to learn about relativity from various places, and although it is a relatively simple (sry for the pun) concept to fathom (once you get the hang of it) I always had a few lingering questions that needed to be answered, and Prof Wolfson- as usual did a wonderful job of it.

The popular press Einstein relativity genre is certainly crowded. I don't think anyone should buy this book to add to a collection in the genre but it is certainly worth a look as a first book. With the obligatory "denial of math" in the preface, I'll never figure out why physicists have to be literate in the humanities but non-physicists don't have to be literate in math and science, we are taken through chapters that seem to be based on the good teacher technique of teaching from student misconceptions rather than just presenting facts. I was introduced to Wolfson as a great teacher in his Teaching Company course and was not let down with this book.

There are few inconsistancies and a lot of good science stuff here so don't be afraid to be demystified.

This is a fairly thorough introduction to Einstein's theories of relativity (Special and General) for interested beginners. Using logic, examples, and a few diagrams, the author gives the basics of those theories in generally understandable terms.

Each chapter builds on the previous so it's not advisable to skip around too much. No significant mathematics are involved so that shouldn't be a stumbling block for any reader.

For me, this was a good companion book for "Einstein for Dummies" by Calle. This one was somewhat more advanced and delved into the theories a little more.

One nit-picking item was the poor quality of paper used for this paperback. One grade above industrial paper towels.

The book is very good on a very difficult subject. The good thing about it was the fact that there is no formulas but under any circumstance, space time is not easy to comprehend. Of the 5 or 6 books that I have read on this subject, this was the best.

Within just 244 pages, Richard Wolfson takes us on an incredible journey from the ancient pillars of physics -Aristotelian oxcart forces and earth-centered science- to that of modern physics - general relativity and quantum mechanics. This book will change the way you perceive the universe as well as your everyday surroundings. Time dialation, black holes, string theory....all buzz words? Not after this book. Truly a seemingly impossible undertaking......but Wolfson shows his incredible ability to relate difficult to near-impossible concepts to the common non-scientific audience.

But a warning.....do not start this book unless you have the time to finish it. Each page opens a new interesting perspective on not only the history of where we are today, but also what the future holds.

Written for the non-scientist, this book parallels Wolfson's now-legendary, highly recommended, audio course "Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution", The Teaching Company.

If you have ever wondered about relativity but were afraid to ask while you suffered through countless high school and college science courses, this book is a true revolution. What is remarkable about this book is not only the genius of Einstein and his remarkable discoveries, but the historical path of what led Einstein and the scientific community to realize that their classical physics was "simply" wrong.

Wolson introduces us to the other giants of physics and their work, their risks, and their place in history. He relates the courage of Copernicus and Galileo having to battle both church and misunderstanding. He also brings together the works of Newton to Hawking. Wolson also paints a devasting blow to the scientific community with the failures of the Michelson-Morley experiments and how the true-genius of Einstein rose to change our understanding of the universe.

It is truly unfortunate that we reviewers can only bestow 5 stars to this book. This work is in a class by itself and worthy of our deep appreciation to Richard Wolfson for his gift to our basic understanding of the world we live in.