[sci.space] Stupid relativity question

me85mda@cc.brunel.ac.uk (M D Ayton) (01/26/89)

Thanks, Tim, for starting all this.

May I recommend an excellent book for the (intelligent) layman on this
subject? It is

   "A brief history of time" by Stephen W. Hawking

He is the Lucasian professor of mathematics at Oxford (I think) and the
book is very clear; giving the most lucid and intelligible explanation
of relativity and general relatvity that I have ever read - and not an
equation in sight.

Martin.

dan@ccnysci.UUCP (Dan Schlitt) (01/26/89)

The discussion of relativity would be much easier if no one had ever
used relativistic mass (which is generally shortened to simply mass to
the utter confusion of everyone).  There is only one meaningful mass.
That is the "proper mass" or "rest mass".  It is something that all
observers can agree on and thus is something which is significant for
the purpose of discussion.  But, alas, it is much too late to get
people to quit calling (gamma)mc^2 the mass.
-- 
Dan Schlitt                        Manager, Science Division Computer Facility
dan@ccnysci                        City College of New York
dan@ccnysci.bitnet                 New York, NY 10031
                                   (212)690-6868

jim@nih-csl.UUCP (jim sullivan) (01/27/89)

In article <567@Terra.cc.brunel.ac.uk> me85mda@cc.brunel.ac.uk (M D Ayton) writes:
>May I recommend an excellent book for the (intelligent) layman on this
>subject? It is
>
>   "A brief history of time" by Stephen W. Hawking
>
>He is the Lucasian professor of mathematics at Oxford (I think) and the
>book is very clear; giving the most lucid and intelligible explanation
>of relativity and general relatvity that I have ever read - and not an
>equation in sight.
>
>Martin.

	May I recommend a book I found to be better in content and
	clearity?  It is
	
		"Einstein's Universe" by Nigel Calder

	While reading Hawkings book, I was confused not by the subject
	but the style with which it was written.  Many parts were
	clear but others were down right confusing if not contradictory.
	I found myself picking up Calder's book to help explain
	just what Hawking was talking about.  Calder's book also 
	is for the layman with no equations and much less talk about God.

					Jim

firth@sei.cmu.edu (Robert Firth) (01/30/89)

In article <567@Terra.cc.brunel.ac.uk> me85mda@cc.brunel.ac.uk (M D Ayton) writes:

>May I recommend an excellent book for the (intelligent) layman on this
>subject? It is
>
>   "A brief history of time" by Stephen W. Hawking
>
>He is the Lucasian professor of mathematics at Oxford (I think)

Sorry, the other place.  the Lucasian chair is at Cambridge. Previous
holders of this position include Sir Isaac Newton and Paul Dirac.