Special Relativity
Unit Outline
Video - EInstein's Miracle Year (TED ED, Larry Lagerstrom, 5:16)
Video - Physics Girl - Can you push a spacecraft with light?
Video - Special Relativity Series (Minute Physics) (4:49, 1st video of 8)
Article - The Simple Idea behind Einstein's Greatest Discoveries (K.C. Cole, Wired Magazine, 07.14.2019)
Special Relativity Outline 2017-18 and Postulates of Special Relativity
1 - Postulates of Special Relativity
Handout:
Velocity and Frames of Reference, Postulates of Special Relativity,
Einstein's Annus Mirabilis and Postulates of Special Relativity
Article: A Brief History of Relativity
Video - Special Relativity and Simultaneity
Homework:
Read pg. 562 - 568
Read pg. 29, 32 of A brief history of relativity
2 - Time Dilation
Handout:
The Light Clock and Time Dilation
The Light Clock and Time Dilation - solutions
Worksheet: Why don't we notice time dilation?
Why don't we notice time dilation? - solutions
Article: Everyday Relativity
Video - Time Travel and Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity
Homework:
Read pg. 569-572
Do Pg. 573 #2, 3
3 - Length Contraction
Visualizing Relativity
Time dilation practice problems
Handout:
Distance and Velocity - solutions
Video - The Twin Paradox(Physics Girl, 5:45)
Video - How does your smartphone know your location?(TED-ED, 5:03)
Einstein's Paper: On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies
Video - Time Dilation Experiment
Homework:
Read pg. 573-575
Do pg. 576 #5, 8
Read pg. 42 (bottom) of A brief history of relativity
4 - Energy and E = mc2
Video: Impossible Muons (Minute Physics, 4:33 - evidence for time dilation and length contraction)
Handouts:
Video Lesson: Space Travel - problems involving time dilation and length contraction
Group Challenge Problems - Space Travel
Group Challenge Problem - Space Travel - solutions
Video Lesson: Deriving Einstein's Equation for Mass Energy Equivalence
Mass Energy Equivalence - solutions
Video - Carl Sagan on Special Relativity
Video - Derivation of E=mc2(Minute Physics - 2:10)
Einstein's Article: Does the inertia of a body depend on its energy content?
Homework:
Read pg. 580 – 584
Do pg. 583 #3, pg. 584 #5, 9
5 - Special relativity problem solving
Handout:
Group Challenge Problem - Energy Transformation
Problems - Special Relativity - solutions
Homework:
Read pg. 32, 41-43 of A brief history of relativity (General Relativity)
6 - Quiz Review
Quiz - March
Postulates of Special Relativity, Time dilation, length contraction, energy problems