Space and Time |
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Common terms and phrases
absolute analytical analytical geometry angles ångströms appear approximate assume astronomical axes axis calculations celestial mechanics centimetre centre chronometers circle clock co-ordinates consequence consider corresponding curvature curve decimal define definition difficulty dimensions direction distance double stars earth earth's surface Einstein elements enable equal equations ether Euclidean Euclidean geometry exact experiment fact fixed formula geodesic geometry give given gravitation hypothesis infinitely small interval invariable kilometres per hour kilometres per second kinematics length mathematical means measure mechanics meridian methods metres Michelson millimetres motion nature Newton observations obtained optical pendulum phenomena phenomenon physical plane Poincaré position possible postulate precision properties quadratic form radius ratio rational numbers regard rotation scale schema sense sidereal day signal simple solar system sound space sphere stars straight line sufficient suppose terrestrial theoretical theory of relativity triangle universe variables velocity of light wave-lengths whilst
Popular passages
Page 182 - ... of physical theories."23 Space, time, causality, derived from experience, remain dependable guides to most human activities, quite independently of the over-riding or under-lying relativistic and atomistic theories of reality. It is quite certain that classical mechanics will "remain the instrument best fitted to solve certain questions, questions which for us are of the highest importance, since they relate to our scale of magnitude."24 Nothing is altered in this situation if the deterministic...
Page 32 - There was, however, something rather strange in this phenomenon of gravitation, something that distinguished it from other physical phenomena. This was its utter immutability and its absolute independence of all external actions. Light is arrested by opaque bodies, deviated by prisms and lenses; electrical and magnetic actions are modified by the neighbourhood of certain bodies; gravitation alone remains always the same, and we have no means enabling us either to increase or to diminish it. Gravitation...
Page 210 - And this process might be carried on to any degree of accuracy that was required ; but in the present case, unlike that considered before, it would never end ; for the ratio of the diagonal of a square to its side is one which cannot be accurately expressed by means of numbers. The other method of approximation...
Page 187 - The ether-drift experiments at Mount Wilson during the last four years, 1921 to 1925, lead to the conclusion that there is a relative motion of the earth and the ether at this Observatory, of approximately nine kilometers per second, being about one-third of the orbital velocity of the earth.
Page 210 - Three quantities are said to be proportional, when the ratio of the first to the second is equal to the ratio of the second to the third; thus, if A, B, and C are in proportion, then A : B : : B : C.
Page 93 - Angle, so that the sum of the angles of a triangle is always greater than two right angles.
Page 189 - evidently, if Dr. Miller's results should be confirmed, then the special relativity theory, and with it the general theory in its present form, fails. Experiment is the supreme judge.
Page 110 - ... of ideas, the natural unit of expression is the sentence; that is to say, a group of articulate sounds which convey a complete idea. It might seem that speech can readily be further subdivided, and that the word also forms a natural unit from which the sentence is built up. In most cases, however, it is easy to show that such is not the case, and that the word as such is known only by analysis. This is particularly clear in the case of words like prepositions, conjunctions, or verbal forms which...
Page 38 - In order to be able to locate objects in space, we must know these objects, that is to say they must roughly at least preserve their identity".
Page 142 - This shows that the velocity of light does not depend on the velocity of the apparatus used to measure it. The absence of the expected 'aether drift' was explained in 1905 by Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity.