Transcript brief introduction

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Physics
“World Year of Physics” Fall Lecture Series 2005
Celebrating “Einstein’s Miracle Year” in which he published papers establishing the field of
quantum mechanics and modifying our understanding of space and time itself.
Confirmed Lectures
“Quantum Construction: Building the nanotechnology of the future”
Prof. Robert Carpick
Dept of Engineering Physics, U of Wisconsin-Madison
“The Shape of the Universe”
Prof. Peter Timbie
Dept of Physics, U of Wisconsin-Madison
“Quantum Mechanics and the Nature of Reality”
Prof. Laura Ruetsche
Dept of Philosophy, U of Pittsburgh
“The Women of the Manhattan Project”
Prof. Ruth Howes
Dept of Physics, Marquette University
“The Nature of Neutron Stars”
Dr. Pat Slane
Chandra Science Center, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Other “World Year of Physics Events” can be found at www.physics2005.org.
What was Einstein so famous for anyway?
Ask someone who the most famous physicist is and the answer will
most probably be “Albert Einstein.”
In 1905, Einstein wrote three papers (on light quanta, Brownian
motion and the special theory of relativity), which would change the
way we looked at physics. Given his iconic status in modern
physics, the U.S. decided on “Einstein in the 21st Century” as its
theme for the World Year of Physics 2005—the hundredth
anniversary of those papers.
http://www.physics2005.org/einstein.html
What was Einstein so famous for anyway?
1905 - Miraculous Year
In only a few months Einstein wrote three fundamental papers:
The first paper was on the Photoelectric Effect. It claimed that light
must sometimes behave like a stream of particles with discrete
energies, "quanta." Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1921 for
his discovery of the photoelectric effect.
The second paper explained the observation of Brownian Motion. It
offered an experimental test for the theory of heat.
The third paper described “Special Relativity”, the connection
between electromagnetic theory and ordinary motion. In a three-page
addition to his paper, Einstein derived his famous equation E=mc2.
[In 1915 Einstein extended his theory to include gravity and created
the theory of “General Relativity”.]
http://www.physics2005.org/einstein.html
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Links to find out more about Einstein:
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/
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Download Einstein’s book from
Project Gutenburg
http://promo.net/pg/
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5001
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Quirks and Quarks CBC Radio Podcast
http://www.podcast.net/show/20842
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