Quick questions about Section 4 (1 Viewer)

[Zero Infinite]

1) Who proposed the principle of relativity? Galileo or Newton? My textbooks conflict. On that note, how much do we need to know for frames of reference? Just what they are?

2) Is it necessary in considering the aether model in the Syllabus to mention Descartes, Hooke, Huygens, Young, Fresnel, Stokes, Maxwell? I know at least some of those names need to be considered, but the level of detail varies from textbook to textbook.

3) Is it really necessary to mention anything about Lorentz and Fitzgerald...? Yeah, they made those contraction/dilation formulas, but since we only seem to need to apply them...

4) In terms of equivalence of mass and energy, what is there to explain except E = mc^2

5) Finally, for the dot point "Analyse info to discuss the relationship between theory and evidence..." I don't know what to write. Yeah, I know Einstein predicted it many years before evidence was found, but the word 'analyse' troubles me..

Just need to be sure that I've covered Section 4 of Space thoroughly. I hate these contradictions in various textbooks...

Thanks in advance to anyone who answers.

 

[BrotherBread]

We only made it half way into point 4 so I can only hepl you a little.

1. Relativity was first postulated by Galileo, and was imbodied in Newtons First Law. As for inertial frames of reference, my understanding (we have the worst teacher so it could be wrong) is best explained by the following. If you are in a car and another car beside you in the next lane is travelling at the same speed, if you couldn't see the background or road, would you still be able to determine if either of you were moving. The answer is no, because you are travelling at a uniform speed (not undergoing acceleration of course) you can't tell, without the reference of external points outside the frame of reference, or by using a speedo. This also means that it is impossible to know the speed or velocity of a frame of reference without using any external reference points not conatined in the frame of reference.

2. With the aether model by my reaqding of the syllabus ("Outline the feature of aether for the transmission of light") it isn't required for us to refer to anyone but just to talk about the concept and what features it has that made it used for this. But if I were to mention scientists I would mention Young and Maxwell, as they proved light travelled in waves rather than in particles, thus scientists were lead to beliefe that the aether was nessecary as all the waves that they could practically examine (sound waves, water waves, earthquake waves) required a medium to propergate through, and so must light. Thus they developed the aether model.

These are all I can answer for you as that is how far we have made it. Hope it helps

 

[Zero Infinite]

I've found the answer for most of them, but thanks anyway. After much research and effort today, I've finally completed my notes for Section 4 of Space, by FAR the most difficult section.

Galileo stated that the laws of mechanics are the same for a body at rest and a body moving at constant velocity (an inertial frame of reference). We call this Galilean Relativity. Newton extended this, stating that it is impossible to detect whether you are moving at a constant velocity or at rest when inside an inertial frame of reference without referring to an outside frame. Bah, one textbook said Galileo stated that whole principle... Stupid lazy people. I'll be pissed if I'm still wrong on this one.

I mentioned Maxwell and Young, and basically ignored the others because I couldn't be bothered. The main concepts about aether are fine, just some of those names may/may not be relevant. Descartes was a famous advocate of aether, not sure if he matters. Hooke, Huygens, Fresnel, Young and Maxwell are all names to throw around studying light's wave-like nature, and Stokes is just random because he suggested some improvement to aether.

I said something briefly about Lorentz and Fitzgerald and the explanation of Michelson-Morley, as well as Lorentz Transformation helping Einstein.

I explained how mass dilation helped Einstein come up with E = mc^2.

The only stuff I still am not sure what to write in an exam are:
"...discuss the relationship between thought and reality (Einstein's train & mirror dot point)"
"...discuss the relationship between theory and the evidence (Einstein predictions on relativity dot point)"

Help appreciated, since I think I'd end up BSing it.