physics

This is the final lesson of the 2012 summer school, describing cosmology, either with or without the math. Come back each Friday through July and August in 2013 to join us for our next summer school series: The Scientific Method.

As we approach the end of our summer school series, we reach two of the most exciting concepts in 20th century physics: black holes and worm holes. Would you like that with or without math?

We are now, finally, prepared to examine the effects of gravity on the shape of the universe, starting with Einstein’s postulates. As always, the lesson can be viewed with or without the related math.

This is the final chapter examining special relativity, and will focus primarily on electricity and magnetism, either with or without the underlying math. Next week, we move into general relativity.

Two of the most frequently used concepts in physics are energy and momentum. One must examine them in great detail to continue developing the theory of relativity, creating what is likely the most famous theory in the history of science. You can read this lesson with or without the math.

Equipped with the Minkowski diagrams of the previous lesson, we can now explore some logical implications that are frequently labelled paradoxes. This lesson reveals that these are not true paradoxes, but are instead complex and counterintuitive logical consequences of the theory. As usual, it is up to the reader to decide whether to continue with or without the math.

We have now learned why we need the theory of relativity, and what it looks like in its most basic form. Now it’s time to explore some of the implications with the merger of space and time. Again, readers can choose to learn about these ideas either with or without the math.