Einstein Vacation to Mexico

Task 6. Read the story «Einstein Vacation to Mexico».

Task 5. Choose the main idea of the text «The Theory of Relativity».

Task 4. Choose the correct answer.

Task 3. Decide if the statements are true, false or not mentioned in the text «The Theory of Relativity».

1. The Theory of Relativity was representative of more than a single physical theory.

2. Albert Einstein developed the Theory of Relativity that actually can be divided into three parts: the Special Theory of Relativity, the General Theory of Relativity and the basic nature of the Universe.

3. According to Einstein's famous equation, mass and energy can be converted back and forth.

4. General Relativity is the Theory of Gravitation.

5. The development of General Relativity began with the principle under which the states of accelerated motion and being at rest in a gravitational field are physically non-identical.

1. What is Special Relativity?

a) a theory of the structure

b) a theory of the structure, space

c) a theory of the structure of spacetime

2. What are the consequences of Special Relativity?

a) relativity of simultaneity, time dilation, length contraction

b) mass–energy equivalence, relativity of simultaneity, maximum speed

c) relativity of simultaneity, time dilation, length contraction, mass–energy equivalence, maximum speed is finite

3. What is General Relativity?

a) a theory of gravitation

b) a theory of the structure of spacetime

c) a theory of motion

4. What are the consequences of General Relativity?

a) gravitational time dilation

b) frame-dragging

c) both

5. What is gravitational time dilation?

a) Clocks run faster in deeper gravitational wells

b) Clocks run more slowly in deeper gravitational wells

c) Clocks stops in deeper gravitational wells

1. The Theory of Relativity encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein: Special Relativity and General Relativity.

2. Consequences of Special Relativity and General Relativity are very important.

3. Special Relativity is based on two postulates which are contradictory in classical mechanics.

Albert Einstein was just about finished his work on the Theory of Special Relativity, when he decided to take a break and go on vacation to Mexico. So he hopped on a plane and headed to Acapulco. Each day, late in the afternoon, sporting dark sunglasses, he walked in the white Mexican sand and breathed in the fresh Pacific sea air.

On the last day, he paused during his stroll to sit down on a bench and watch the Sun set. When the large orange ball was just disappearing, a last beam of light seemed to radiate toward him. The event brought him back to thinking about his physics work. «What symbol should I use for the speed of light?» he asked himself. The problem was that nearly every Greek letter had been taken for some other purpose.

Just then, a beautiful Mexican woman passed by. Albert Einstein just had to say something to her. Almost out of desperation, he asked as he lowered his dark sunglasses, «Do you not zink zat zee speed of light is zery fast?» The woman smiled at Einstein (which, by the way, made his heart sink) and replied, «Si». And do you know the end of the story?[7]

Дата добавления: 2015-01-03