10 Strange Things About The Universe
Space The universe can be a very strange place. While groundbreaking ideas such as quantum theory, relativity and even the Earth going around the Sun might be commonly accepted now, science still continues to show that the universe contains things you might find it difficult to believe, and even more difficult to get your head around. Theoretically, the lowest temperature that can be achieved is absolute zero, exactly ?273.15°C, where the motion of all particles stops completely. One of the properties of a negative-energy vacuum is that light actually travels faster in it than it does in a normal vacuum, something that may one day allow people to travel faster than the speed of light in a kind of negative-energy vacuum bubble. One prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity is that when a large object moves, it drags the space-time around it, causing nearby objects to be pulled along as well. Relativity of Simultaneity This is similar to arranging tiles evenly on a floor.
Playground
Interactive activities, some used other places on Serendip for other reasons, and others just because ...? The idea, of course, is that there isn't a whole lot of difference between playing and learning ... exploring is the underpinnings and enjoyment inherent in both. If that idea makes you think of either play or education in new ways, so much the better. Regardless, the web provides not only information and pictures, but also the wherewithal to have experiences that you might not otherwise have a chance to have. And creating such things to play with (and maybe even to learn from) is a large part of what Serendip is about, so browse the list. And have fun. If in addition you'd like to read/think more about play itself, there's a list of relevant links below.
Einstein for Everyone
Einstein for Everyone Nullarbor Press 2007revisions 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Copyright 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 John D. Norton Published by Nullarbor Press, 500 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 with offices in Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222 All Rights Reserved John D. An advanced sequel is planned in this series:Einstein for Almost Everyone 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1 ePrinted in the United States of America no trees were harmed web*bookTM This book is a continuing work in progress. January 1, 2015. Preface For over a decade I have taught an introductory, undergraduate class, "Einstein for Everyone," at the University of Pittsburgh to anyone interested enough to walk through door. With each new offering of the course, I had the chance to find out what content worked and which of my ever so clever pedagogical inventions were failures. At the same time, my lecture notes have evolved. This text owes a lot to many. i i i
Special Relativity
Special Relativity These pages are ok as far as they go, but they are missing the planned highlight, to show you what things actually look like when you travel at near the speed of light. I hope to have the opportunity to develop these pages further as time permits. Here is my opinionated Guide to Special Relativistic Flight Simulator Sites. Meanwhile, these pages comprise an animated introduction to the elements of Special Relativity. Some of the fun stuff: And don't miss Prasenjit Saha's Interactive Lorentz Transformations. © 1998, 1999 Andrew Hamilton. Forward to The Postulates of Special Relativity Hey, get me back to Falling into a Black Hole Unless otherwise stated, clicking on images gives you enlarged versions thereof, which may be easier to view in a classroom environment. Special Relativity: Index Andrew Hamilton's Homepage Other Relativity and Black Hole links
Personal and Historical Perspectives of Hans Bethe
Physics Flash Animations
We have been increasingly using Flash animations for illustrating Physics content. This page provides access to those animations which may be of general interest. The animations will appear in a separate window. The animations are sorted by category, and the file size of each animation is included in the listing. Also included is the minimum version of the Flash player that is required; the player is available free from The categories are: In addition, I have prepared a small tutorial in using Flash to do Physics animations. LInks to versions of these animations in other languages, other links, and license information appear towards the bottom of this page. The Animations There are 99 animations listed below. Other Languages and Links These animations have been translated into Catalan, Spanish and Basque: En aquest enllaç podeu trobar la versió al català de les animacions Flash de Física.
The Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator. It first started up on 10 September 2008, and remains the latest addition to CERN’s accelerator complex. The LHC consists of a 27-kilometre ring of superconducting magnets with a number of accelerating structures to boost the energy of the particles along the way. Inside the accelerator, two high-energy particle beams travel at close to the speed of light before they are made to collide. Thousands of magnets of different varieties and sizes are used to direct the beams around the accelerator. All the controls for the accelerator, its services and technical infrastructure are housed under one roof at the CERN Control Centre. How many kilometres of cables are there on the LHC? Download the LHC guide [PDF] CERN takes safety very seriously. Read about the safety of the LHC Take a virtual tour of the Large Hadron Collider
The Elegant Universe | Watch the Program | PBS - StumbleU
The Elegant Universe: Part 3 PBS Airdate: November 4, 2003 NARRATOR: Now, on NOVA, take a thrill ride into a world stranger than science fiction, where you play the game by breaking some rules, where a new view of the universe pushes you beyond the limits of your wildest imagination. This is the world of "string theory," a way of describing every force and all matter from an atom to earth, to the end of the galaxies—from the birth of time to its final tick, in a single theory, a "Theory of Everything." BRIAN GREENE (Columbia University): And no matter how many times I come here, I never seem to get used to it. NARRATOR: Can he help us solve the greatest puzzle of modern physics—that our understanding of the universe is based on two sets of laws that don't agree? NARRATOR: Resolving that contradiction eluded even Einstein, who made it his final quest. BRIAN GREENE: We really may live in a universe with more dimensions than meet the eye. S. BRIAN GREENE:The atmosphere was electric. S. S.
Physics To Go: Explore Physics on your own
image credit: U.S. Air Force; image source; larger image Newton's 3rd Law What is the purpose of the small rotor on the back of this helicopter? This reaction force creates a torque that, by itself, would make the helicopter spin in the opposite direction as the rotor. (This feature was updated on September 22, 2013.) Torque Check out this PBS video to use the concept of torque to explain how one dancer can balance on top of the head of another--and on point!
Physics 20b: Introduction to Cosmology - Spring 2010 - Download free content from UC Irvine
Science Stage
Motion Mountain - The Free Physics Textbook for Dowload
