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This book discusses in detail the special theory of relativity without including all the instruments of theoretical physics, enabling readers who are not budding theoretical physicists to develop competence in the field. An arbitrary but fixed inertial system is chosen, where the known velocity of light is measured. With respect to this system a moving clock loses time and a moving length contracts. The book then presents a definition of simultaneity for the other inertial frames without using the velocity of light. To do so it employs the known reciprocity principle, which in this context serves to provide a definition of simultaneity in the other inertial frames. As a consequence, the Lorentz transformation is deduced and the universal constancy of light is established. With the help of a lattice model of the special theory of relativity the book provides a deeper understanding of the relativistic effects. Further, it discusses the key STR experiments and formulates and solves 54 problems in detail.
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Helmut Günther · Volker Müller
The Special Theory of Relativity Einstein’s World in New Axiomatics
The Special Theory of Relativity
Helmut Günther Volker Müller •
The Special Theory of Relativity Einstein’s World in New Axiomatics
123
Helmut Günther Berlin, Germany
Volker Müller Leibniz-Institut fuer Astrophysik University Potsdam Potsdam, Germany
Revised English edition of: H. Günther “Die Spezielle Relativitätstheorie - Einsteins Welt in einer neuen Axiomatik” Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden 2013. Extension to General Relativity Theory and translation: Volker Müller. 95 illustrations including 13 portraits, 54 completely solved problems. Picture references: ALBERT EINSTEIN, p. 24, EINSTEIN tower, p. 355, LEONHARD EULER, p. 88, CARL FRIEDRICH GAUSS, p. 518, WERNER KARL HEISENBERG, p. 269, DAVID HILBERT, p. 266, HENDRIK ANTOON LORENTZ, p. 47, JAMES CLERK MAXWELL, p. 206, ALBERT ABRAHAM MICHELSON, p. 45, HERMANN MINKOWSKI, p. 227, ISAAC NEWTON, p. 86, EMMY NOETHER, p. 56, GEORG FRIEDRICH BERNHARD RIEMANN, p. 339, ERWIN SCHRÖDINGER, p. 276 by Christina Günther (Berlin) mixed technique, 2004–2012. Atomic clock, p. 3, with permission of the Physikalisch-technische Bundesanstalt Braunschweig, 2014. MICHELSON interferometer, p. 49, Angela Müller, 2015. EINSTEIN cross, CASTLES-survey, p. 382, with permission of the Space Telescope Science Institute, 2014. Cosmic Microwave Background fluctuations, PLANCK-Satellite, p. 385, with permission of the European Space Agency, 2014. Other illustrations by the authors.
Additional material to this book can be downloaded from ftp.springernature.com. ISBN 978-981-13-7782-2 ISBN 978-981-13-7783-9 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7783-9
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