Relativity: The Special and the General Theory

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Relativity: The Special and the General Theory

by Albert Einstein, Nigel Calder (Introduction)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 4,656 ratings · 200 reviews

According to Einstein himself, this book is intended "to give an exact insight into the theory of Relativity to those readers who, from a general scientific and philosophical point of view, are interested in the theory, but who are not conversant with the mathematical apparatus of theoretical physics." When he wrote the book in 1916, Einstein's name was scarcely known outs...more

Paperback, 208 pages

Published July 25th 2006 by Penguin Classics (first published 1916)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Most Influential Books in History

26th out of 659 books — 1,841 voters

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Best Science Books - Non-Fiction Only

61st out of 596 books — 1,318 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 01, 2012 حوري مديحة rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: physic-الفيزياء

أول احتكاك فعلي بيني وبين نظرية النسبية وبالمعادلات الرياضية
أول كتاب قرأته في مكتبة الجيش لأينشتاين ومرفق بالمعادلات
استمتعت به
وهو أول من فتح لي باب التساؤل حول: كيف أصوغ معادلة بمنتهى البساطة

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 27, 2007 Rob rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who already know about relativity

Shelves: non-fiction-for-egghead-spacealiens

edit: i wrote the 4-star review below before reading the fifth appendix. i mean, who could imagine that an appendix could change anything? well, this one did. all the chapters in the body of the book are 2 or 3 pages. Appendix V is a 20-page essay, written 36 years after the rest of the book and just 3 years before einstein died. it is a tour de force on the history, philosophy, and psychology (i kid you not) of the scientific understanding of empty space. it was shocking, thrilling, amazing. th...more

7 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2012 Bipul Roy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I call it epic book, not only in terms of the knowledge it gives. But it is sure to create a storm of queries and enthusiasm in your mind provided you enjoy mathematics form the core of the heart.

It surely imparts some best lessons for life, that keep your subconscious alert and curiosity should be the prime element of every thought process. The thing that Einstein got the idea of relativity while going home in a car, he saw the time in clock mounted on top of church, and it gave him the storm t...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 29, 2011 Bob Nichols rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Given the frustrations with books describing Einstein's theories of special and general relativity, it was a surprise to find that Einstein does a good job himself at trying to make his theories comprehensible to the non-specialized public.

In the Special Theory of Relativity, Einstein states that space and time are not fixed properties, that they are intimately connected to each other (hence, spacetime, "ST"), that time and space are shorter and slower as an object moves closer to the speed of...more Given the frustrations with books describing Einstein's theories of special and general relativity, it was a surprise to find that Einstein does a good job himself at trying to make his theories comprehensible to the non-specialized public.

In the Special Theory of Relativity, Einstein states that space and time are not fixed properties, that they are intimately connected to each other (hence, spacetime, "ST"), that time and space are shorter and slower as an object moves closer to the speed of light, and that mass increases with the addition of energy and decreases with the loss of energy (In the commentary at the end of the book, Robert Geroch writes that a running rabbit loses mass because it is expending energy, i.e., it is converting mass into energy). In the General Theory of Relativity, Einstein says, again, that space and time are not fixed, independent, and absolute, but are modified by the pull of gravity, which warps or curves them. In his commentary, Geroch clarifies, helpfully, that there are two forms of mass: passive gravitational mass (that is acted upon) and active gravitational mass (that acts). Also in his commentary, as opposed to the "relativity" of an observer, Geroch states that the concept of "relativity" applies more generally to the non-absolute and variable nature of ST, as opposed to the invariant (absolute) laws of physics (e.g., a body moves in a straight line unless acted upon, and that heat flows from a hotter to a colder body).

As a lay person, I can't say with any confidence that I know what any of this really means (if I understood it, I'm sure the book would get a rating of 5), but it does prompt a series of questions to wonder about: If ST is not fixed/absolute, how do we understand these concepts? Are they a way of locating an "event" or are they something more? If gravity from a mass pulls ST, are ST particles (that gravity can exert its force upon)? Are the sun and earth gaining mass by pulling ST particles into themselves? If gravity pulls ST, is mass a concentration of ST? Does the big bang scenario (and some Black Hole scenarios) create ST, "exploding" them outward, and is it this that makes ST variable and not absolute? If gravity (the Big Bang and Black Hole scenarios) pulls matter into infinite density (singularity), is matter (and quantum phenomena) destroyed, leaving undifferentiated energy as the only primal cosmic reality (and is this why mass and energy are ultimately equivalent?)? In an interesting footnote (p. 67) Einstein writes that "The general theory of relativity renders it likely that the electrical masses of an electron are held together by gravitational forces." Off hand, this statement suggests a relationship between quantum level forces and gravity. Is this pertinent to the attempts to unify the four forces (or, are three of the forces subsidiary to the fourth, gravity?)? Is it the conversion of mass to energy at the speed of light that establishes light's speed? In the mass-energy-light formulation, why is the speed of light squared? Is the speed of light/expressed energy (outward force) the polar opposite of gravity/mass as concentrated energy (inward force), and are cosmic processes governed by the relative power relationship between these two poles (force and counter-force)? While gravity is referenced as an attractive force between two bodies, is there also a factor of resistance to being moved (depending on relative mass and distance)?

The ending essay, quotes Einstein as saying that, "All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual toward freedom." This is a nice thought. I don't know what it means.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 10, 2011 Sam Henington rated it 5 of 5 stars

Years ago,in my college physics class,I had to actually learn and try to explain Einstein's theory of relativity. With the complex math and all the workbooks, it was a task I really hated. I thought I understood it and was able to get through the tests. But I never really paid close attention to what it really meant. At that time, all I wanted was to be able to answer queations about it to get grades. Then, I changed my major and went into other subjects that I really cared about. After so many...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 14, 2009 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science

Einstein, Albert. RELATIVITY: The Special and General Theory. (German-1916; Eng.-1920). ****. And now for something completely different... I first read this small book by Einstein in, I guess, 1960, just after I had finished a course in Nuclear Physics. I didn’t understand it then. Since then, I have completed two degrees in chemistry and worked in the field for 45 years. I still don’t understand all of it. This was his attempt to present these theories to the lay public. This is probably his m...more Einstein, Albert. RELATIVITY: The Special and General Theory. (German-1916; Eng.-1920). ****. And now for something completely different... I first read this small book by Einstein in, I guess, 1960, just after I had finished a course in Nuclear Physics. I didn’t understand it then. Since then, I have completed two degrees in chemistry and worked in the field for 45 years. I still don’t understand all of it. This was his attempt to present these theories to the lay public. This is probably his most widely read boo, and he went to great pains to use practical examples (most notably the train and the embankment) to demonstrate its application. There is the minimum amount of mathematics included in the book, although he does use equations to show the difference between the Newtonian (or Galilean) transformation and the Lorentz transformation, a critical piece of mathematics basic to his explication of his theories. The book is basically divided into two parts: the first part dealing with the special theory of relativity, the second with the general theory. He hints at his search for a unified field theory, but cleverly puts us off. The section on the general theory deals, primarily, with its cosmological implications, and he uses it to formulate his view of the structure of the universe that holds, mostly, down to this day. There are later appendices added that provide additional data offered as proof of both theories and what additional implications there might be. Although this is a landmark book in the history of science, it is not one for the “general” reader, even though Einstein, in his preface, indicates that “...(this) work presumes a standard of education corresponding to that of a university matriculation examination.” He does go on further to add: “...despite the shortness of the book, a fair amount of patience and force of will on the part of the reader (would be required).” If you are interested in the history of science, this book is for you. If you are trying to learn about the basics of the theories of relativity without a degree in physics, I’d suggest you seek other texts. Recommended.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Rachelle Hi Tony! I'm reading through this book for the first time, without any knowledge of physics beyond what I learned in high school. I find the concepts...more
Sep 14, 2012 03:50pm

Tony Rachelle wrote: "Hi Tony! I'm reading through this book for the first time, without any knowledge of physics beyond what I learned in high school. I f...more
Sep 15, 2012 04:01pm

Rachelle Thank you very much Tony!! I'll follow your suggestions!!
Sep 18, 2012 04:41pm

Mar 12, 2012 Steve Mitchell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you have ever wondered if you were in a spaceship travelling at the speed of light and you turned the headlights on would anything happen, then this is the book for you. Be warned though; even though this book does simplify Einstein’s general and special theories of relativity, the text here is still heavy going. There are lots of equations that made me remember why I took biology and chemistry as my science options at school and geology at college.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 23, 2011 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read on my Kindle, free from Project Gutenberg.

The biggest problem I had with this was actually one of presentation. The team which had prepared it for release had presented all the equations as jpegs, a reasonable idea when reading it in HTML, but not a good one when reading it on a Kindle! Still, who am I kidding - the equations probably wouldn't have made sense to me anyway....

I am an arts graduate trying to understand relativity. I've read Hawking, and I've read Cox, and I thought I should r...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 06, 2009 Adam Kranz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, science, philosophy, freshman-studies-09-10, school-reading

The theory of relativity is amazing and important, but contrary to what the tagline says, Einstein himself is probably not the best person to have explain it to you. I read this class for Freshman Studies in college, and I honestly have to admit that I wouldn't have gotten much of it without the significant aid of in-depth lectures and classroom discussions. This is not because the ideas themselves are too complex, but because Einstein fails in his attempt to make his ideas understood to a layma...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 18, 2012 Stuart Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I was at university the lecturers recommended books on relativity and I even read a few. I gleaned a vague understanding of the subject. None of them recommended Einstein's book. I can't remember where I found it but I'm very glad I did. It's the best and easiest to understand book about relativity I have ever read. I recommend it to students who are struggling with the concepts and all of them so far have had the "Aha!" moment thanks to Albert himself.
It's just been returned to me from ano...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 18, 2011 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nerds

Recommended to Josh by: the internet

It's a fairly dense book, but I enjoyed it and definitely have a better understanding of relativity than I did, despite the fact that I probably missed a lot.

It is essentially a must to be very comfortable with college-level algebra and an understanding of basic Newtonian mechanics is certainly helpful. A persistent reader could probably find utility in this book if they were not particularly well-versed in basic math, though.

Also, I skipped the first 2 appendices. There was little hope for me,...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 12, 2013 Yann rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book is written with the intention to reach readers from a non mathematical or scientific background. Unfortunately, without having taken a course in modern physics some of the concepts in Special Relativity would have eluded me such as understanding time dilation (see the photon clock example for a good illustration of this concept) and length contraction. General Relativity is yet harder to grasp without understanding some advanced mathematics.
The book should be read to be familiar with t...more

like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 Andrew Threlfall rated it 4 of 5 stars

Eistein provides a very straightforward and clear explanation of the theory of relativity in this small volume. Much of the book is readily understandable, particularly the illustrations of the theory. The book employs the example of the car on a train with a man inside and another man on the embankment outside of the train. Different happenings occur which demonstrate the implications of the idea of relativity, some of which are quite intriguing. After most of the illustrations, Einstein also p...more

like · see review

Sep 02, 2011 Dawnh rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's always a little surprising to me when I remember that this book was written for non-physicists in 1920. First, it surprises me because it changed the face of physics forever- but was directed toward the general, if at least college educated, public. Second, it surprises me to realize that the popularity of the Science and Discovery Channels (and others) is not a new thing, but a new iteration of an old fascination with science.

I'm about half way through the book. It is pretty easy to read,...more

like · see review

Feb 25, 2010 Magila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

i know, i know, how does einstein's relativity get a 3. honestly, by the time i read it, the cat was kind of out of the bag. it wasn't mind blowing because it wasn't new. also, this is not 'by einstein' in the classic sense - other folks put together a collection of his works. it's still brilliant, and gets a def 'you should read this book.'. unless you're the only physicist left on the planet who hasn't read it though, i can all but promise you will not love it. that said, you can officially co...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 26, 2012 Taha Zghoul rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was first published in German in 1916 and later translated into English in 1920. It is divided into 3 parts, the first dealing with special relativity,the second dealing with general relativity and the third dealing with considerations on the universe as a whole. There have been many versions published since the original in 1916, the latest in December, 2011. The work has been labelled unique in that it gives readers an insight into the thought processes of one of the greatest minds of the 20...more

like · see review

Oct 07, 2012 Mohamed rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: masterpieces

How dare I give this masterpiece less than 5 stars ?! Although I could hardly claim that I understood 10 percent of the book ! What he was talking about ?! Moving reference bodies, Euclidean geometry, Newtonian theory of gravitation, ..... What ?! We don't see the real length of things as everything is moving in the space ! Length is relative as well as mass ! So what is real ? Is there one single thing that all human can agree on it ?! Relativity can be applied on other aspects of life other th...more

like · see review

Aug 12, 2011 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: curious non-physicists

Shelves: science

I was intimidated by this book when I bought it. After all, it's written by Einstein himself. It must be a mile over my head, so I thought. However, this book turned out to be very readable. Einstein's goal in this book was to develop his special and general theories of relativity for non-physicists. He develops each theory by breaking the concepts into many small nuggets: 2 - 10 page chapters. He begins with Newtonian theory and explains its apparent shortcomings and then uses simple scenarios...more

like · see review

May 18, 2012 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those With a Background in Physics

Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by: Good Reading: 100 Significant Books

Shelves: non-fiction, science, 100-significant-books, classics

The rating doesn't reflect the importance or quality of thinking of this book. It's...relative--and subjective. It reflects rather how much I understood and enjoyed it, and at that is overated, although I gave it as high as I did because I'm glad I tried and might come back to it. In Einstein's preface to the 1916 book he said he wrote it for the general educated reader--college graduates--even though it would require "a fair amount of patience and force of will on the part of the reader." The f...more The rating doesn't reflect the importance or quality of thinking of this book. It's...relative--and subjective. It reflects rather how much I understood and enjoyed it, and at that is overated, although I gave it as high as I did because I'm glad I tried and might come back to it. In Einstein's preface to the 1916 book he said he wrote it for the general educated reader--college graduates--even though it would require "a fair amount of patience and force of will on the part of the reader." The front cover of my edition calls it "a clear explanation that anyone can understand." I am a college graduate (and beyond). I don't think I'm stupid. And the equations that are in the book (and the book is littered with them) don't even require college mathematics. We're not talking calculus here--just algebraic equations. So, did I understand the entire book given "patience" and "force of will." No. Maybe I didn't have enough of both. It's a very short book, only 157 pages--but by God, it's not an easy one. Did I understand most of it? No. Some of it. Well, yes. But I suspect my American education in universities in the 1990s isn't the equivalent of German college graduates in 1916. It's not the mathematics--it's the physics. In my American high school biology and chemistry was required. Physics wasn't even offered. To graduate college I had to take some science courses--but the requirement could be fulfilled by "soft" sciences such as biology and anthropology. I have a friend that protests that there's a difference between "verbal" and "mathematical" gifts and people like us shouldn't be forced to take those hard, meanie sciences. I'm not convinced that on the contrary we haven't been short changed. I'd love to know if someone who took at least one course on physics had a different experience with this book.

So, did I learn anything by tackling this? I was able to squeeze out some knowledge after banging my head repeatedly on my desk reading (and rereading) such chapters as "The Principle of Relativity." Einstein does try to illustrate some of the ideas by using everyday examples such as a moving train on an embankment, pans on a stove and a man tethered to a chest. I learned:

1) Special relativity deals with electromagnetic forces; General Relativity deals with gravity.
2) Given the speed of light is a constant, the addition of velocities of moving objects according to classical mechanics fails because it would indicate that the speed of light would be diminished by the velocity of an object. (I think.)
3) Space and time are not absolute in position but relative to the observer; they are not independent of each other but influenced by the distribution of matter (gravity).
4) The theory of general relativity unites the principles of the conservation of mass and of energy.
5) Since college my brain has turned to mush. Maybe I should try to get through a physics textbook? Probably not... (See above on lack of patience and force of will.)

I got this book because Einstein's The Meaning of Relativity was on a list of 100 Significant books. I've since learned that what I bought (and am reviewing here) isn't the same book. Relativity was originally published in German in 1916. The Meaning of Relativity was based on a series of lectures given at Princeton University in 1921. I'm not sanguine I'd do any better with that book given a review quoted from Physics Today says it's "intended for one who has already gone through a standard text and digested the mechanics of tensor theory and the physical basis of relativity." Bottom line, unless you're willing to do some homework to ground yourself in physics you're better off reading more...well dumbed down books by the likes of Asimov, Sagan or Hawking. Incidentally I also recently read Darwin's Origin of Species. That book I found easy to comprehend. Oh well.(less)

like · see review

Feb 22, 2011 Erik Graff rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Erik by: Peter Smith

Shelves: sciences

As a kid my serious interests were scientific. I collected feathers, insects, rocks and fossils; maintained an aerospace scrapbook; kept a journal about space exploration; and read a lot of science books ranging from popular stuff and textbooks to serious works from the library which I hardly understood. My greatest intellectual interests by junior high were in cosmology and astronomy.

During middle school, or possibly during the freshman year in high school, I started going to the library to rea...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 24, 2008 ajp3 rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to ajp3 by: me

this is not an easy read, he was known for his ability to make complex things seem simple but that quality just doesn't come through in this book. if you read it, you are probably entering uncharted intellectual territory, so be aware that reading this book will probably take a lot more time than its thickness may lead you to believe.

I think everyone should at least try to read this book, since for a physics book it contains surprisingly little maths; and if they have to, skip the mathematical...more

like · see review

Aug 19, 2007 John Wiswell rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Physics readers

Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity is one of the most important to modern science (only evolution rivals it, and that is in biology, where this is in physics), and so it should be explained to everyone. Einstein did his best to explain his theory for laymen, but with less success than Sigmund Freud or Joseph Campbell in doing the same with their theories; you need a working knowledge of physics to approach this book. Einstein supposedly made this as accessible as he could, but made the limit...more

1 like · like · see review

May 09, 2007 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nerds; cosmic thinkers

Albert Einstein was a really smart motherfucker. He was smart not just because he was able to conceive of the theory of relativity (both the special and general theories) - he was working on things that people before him had already worked on. What was really smart about him is that he was able to make it all explicable - if not entirely comprehensible - to your average person.

I'm not going to go into the general and special theories of relativity, because I honestly only understand the theorie...more Albert Einstein was a really smart motherfucker. He was smart not just because he was able to conceive of the theory of relativity (both the special and general theories) - he was working on things that people before him had already worked on. What was really smart about him is that he was able to make it all explicable - if not entirely comprehensible - to your average person.

I'm not going to go into the general and special theories of relativity, because I honestly only understand the theories in metaphor, and Einstein's metaphors are much more eloquent, nuanced, and specific than mine. Plus, I don't really remember exactly what it was all about. Basically, that Euclidean geometry is always going to fail in the face of a universe that is infinitely more complex than we can possibly imagine. But there are some constants and things you can do with math that help make calculations a lot closer to and reflective of actual observation. Einstein was hoping, I think, for some universal constant, but never got there (or didn't share it, fearing that it would give physicists nothing to do but make little pig statues out of pink erasers and thumbtacks).

The math, a lot of it, is far beyond me, but I'm sure the mathematic illustrations and references to quantum physics documents are really helpful to people who know about that stuff. I was a good math student in high school, and a lot of it is still light-years out of my league. But like I said, the important thing about the book is that it explains things without needing the math. Anyone can relate to that feeling of being on a train (or in a car, nowadays), your focal point being the side of a moving car, and feeling as if you're moving backward even though the car beside you has moved forward, when in reality, you're both on the planet Earth, rotating on its axis and around the sun, which is moving in relation to our galaxy, which...you get the point. You can measure the speed of the car moving next to you, giving you that sick feeling in your stomach, but you're never going to get it quite right, except as it relates to wherever you happen to be.

Pretty short read, too. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 15, 2013 Arron rated it 4 of 5 stars

I stand at the window of a railway carriage which is travelling uniformly, and drop a stone on the embankment, without throwing it. Then, disregarding the influence of the air resistance, I see the stone descend in a straight line. A pedestrian who observes the misdeed from the footpath notices that the stone falls to earth in a parabolic curve. I now ask: Do the "positions" traversed by the stone lie "in reality" on a straight line or on a parabola?

Moreover, what is meant here by motion "in spa...more

like · see review

Sep 21, 2011 Steve Merrick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Its strange but Einstein once said "that you should be able to explain the universe to a barmaid." I cant quite express how strong this book is, the last essay is frighteningly brilliant and gives an illuminating view of the level of understanding that Albert reached.

Even if you are not into science this is an important work of pure clarity that should be recommended reading everywhere......

I love this book so take a chance you may gain more from it than you expected........

1 like · like · see review

May 02, 2012 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: physics

Even though this book is by Einstein himself he wrote it for a general audience with the consequence that it does not work well either as an introduction nor as an insight into what the mathematics reveals. He did write more advanced books which work better but then you need to understand mathematics at a higher level. If you are looking for a general reader type of introduction into relativity get a book with lots of illustrations (which this book does not have).

like · see review

Mar 03, 2012 Phoebe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: physics, science

By the time I got round to reading Einstein's own description of Relativity, I had already read about a dozen other attempts to describe it (Including Nigel Calders' very friendly version, "Einstein's Universe). Can you imagine my surprise to discover that Einstein's own was so much easier to understand than any of the others and took a lot less words. I adore Einstein's writing he is so accurate that he uses very few words. He is the anti-waffle.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 29, 2012 Indigo.plume rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book makes me wish there was a six star rating! ♥♥♥♥♥♥
Without going into a self aggrandizing essay about how smart I am because I understand the concepts of the space-time and matter-energy continuums... let me just say that I appreciate the absolute genius that Albert Einstein is. Only a truly great mind can take all the complex equations and concepts of the past, and attempt to unify the forces that govern our universe in such a simple and elegant way. There is beauty in simplicity, and E...more

like · see review

Jan 14, 2008 Eli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: physics

Sometimes it's best to get your info straight from the horse's mouth. Putting aside how utterly pretentious you'll look reading this book, it's a great encapsulation of Einstein's most important work into something most people will be able to understand.

Other summaries of relativity I've read by Hawking and Greene have been good but not as comprehensive. More dumbed-down versions are usually nothing more than analogies that offer no real insight.

As far as the math credentials, Einstein introduc...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 22, 2007 Mark Switzer rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: a wide range of people

What's very interesting from this book is that it is really quite readable, very interesting.

And it is sort of interesting that it wasn't thought of before. It all evolves from the single idea that regardless of your relative position and motion that we essentially experience time and space the same way (which means that time and space morph). Light is the very interesting underlying constant that regardless of position or current angular or linear motion we all experience the speed of light as...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (18)

More editions...

Genres

Science > Physics

146 users

Non Fiction

137 users

Science

102 users

Classics

31 users

Philosophy

24 users

Science > Mathematics

13 users

Reference

10 users

Science > Popular Science

6 users

European Literature > German Literature

5 users

Philosophy > Theory

4 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist. He is best known for his theory of relativity and specifically mass-energy equivalence, E = mc2. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect."

More about Albert Einstein...

Books by Albert Einstein

The Evolution of Physics: From Early Concepts to Relativity and Quanta

The Principle of Relativity (Books on Physics)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Relativity: The S...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Relativity: The Specia...

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” — 3,928 people liked it

“E=mc2” — 50 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Relativity: The Special and the General Theory
avg rating	preview: Relativity: The Special and the General Theory Goodreads rating: 4.13 (4656 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15852.Relativity?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309198818l/15852.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15852.Relativity?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Relativity: The Special and the General Theory by Albert Einstein[/url]

Relativity: The Special and the General Theory

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website