Relativity Revolution Slides
The End of Certainty
From Newtonian Clockwork to Einstein's Relativity
Physics & Culture at the Turn of the Century
Warm-up: Defining "Time"
How do you define Time?
- Is it a constant flow that happens exactly the same for everyone?
- Is it just a human invention to organize our lives?
- Could a minute for you be different from a minute for someone else?
"Time is what happens when nothing else does."
— Richard Feynman
The Clockwork Universe
Before 1905, the world followed Isaac Newton:
Absolute Space
The "stage" of the universe is fixed and unchanging.
Absolute Time
Time flows at a constant rate everywhere in the cosmos.
A Predictable, Logical Reality
Fragmentation of Reality
Crash Course European History #31
Watch: 7:07 – 8:39
Embedded media
Key Quote to Watch For:
"Space and time are not absolute categories but instead vary according to the vantage point of the observer."
Simulation: The Train Paradox
How can time depend on who is watching?
Inside the Train
You stand in the middle of a moving train. You flash a light. The light reaches the front and back of the train at the exact same time.
On the Platform
A bystander watches the train speed by. Because the train is moving, the back of the train "meets" the light beam sooner than the front does. They see the flashes at different times.
Who is right? BOTH.
Simultaneity is Relative
Language vs. Reality
"Sunrise"
We use Newtonian language to describe a relativistic world.
Why the disconnect?
John Green points out that we still say the "sun rises" even though we know the Earth is rotating. Our human experience is practical, not scientific.
The Big Question:
If our most basic categories (space and time) are unreliable, what else can we really trust about our world?
The Shock of 1900
Relativity wasn't just for physicists; it shattered the feeling of stability in the world.
Anxiety
The "rules" of the universe were no longer fixed. People felt adrift in a universe they no longer understood.
Fragmentation
If truth depends on where you stand, there is no "single truth." Art and music became abstract and disjointed.
Uncertainty
The shift from "known" to "relative" mirrored the political chaos of revolutions and pending world war.
Perception becomes more important than Reality.
Reflection
Grab your Exit Ticket and respond to the following prompt:
"Write one way that the discovery of a non-absolute universe might make people in 1900 feel anxious or uncertain."
Relativity Revolution Exit Ticket
Relativity Revolution
Exit Ticket: The End of Certainty
Name:
Date:
"Space and time are not absolute categories but instead vary according to the vantage point of the observer."
— Albert Einstein, 1905
1
The Cultural Shift
Think about the "Paradigm Shift" we discussed today. Before Einstein, the universe was like a reliable clock—predictable and the same for everyone. After Einstein, even time itself became flexible.
Write one way that the discovery of a non-absolute universe might make people in 1900 feel anxious or uncertain.
2
Lingering Questions
What is one question you still have about the "Train Paradox" or how relativity changes our view of reality?
