Special Relativity

Einstein’s Special Relativity upended our understanding of space, time and energy. While the ideas are subtle, they only require high school algebra, so join this math-based introduction with acclaimed physicist and author, Brian Greene.

1. Scale
2. Speed
3. The Speed of Light
4. Units
5. The Mathematics of Speed
6. Relativity of Simultaneity
7. Pitfalls
8. Calculating the Time Difference
9. Time in MotionHow Fast Does Time Slow?
10. The Mathematics of Slow Time
11. Time Dilation: Examples
12. Time Dilation: Experimental Evidence
13. The Reality of Past, Present, and Future
14. Time Dilation: Intuitive Explanation
15. Motion’s Effect on Space
16. Motion’s Effect on Space: Mathematical Form
17. Length Contraction: Examples
18. Coordinates for Space
19. Coordinates for Time
20. Coordinates in Motion
21. Clocks in Motion: Examples
22. The Lorentz Transformation
23. The Lorentz Transformation: Examples
24. Combining Velocities
25. Spacetime Diagrams
26. Lorentz Transformation: As An Exotic Rotation
27. Reality of Past, Present, Future: Math Details
28. Invariants
29. Cause and Effect: A Spacetime Invariant
30. Intuition and Time Dilation: Math Approach
31. The Pole in the Barn Paradox
32. The Pole in the Barn: Quantitative Details
33. The Pole in the Barn: Spacetime Diagrams
34. The Pole in the Barn: Lock the Doors
35. The Twin Paradox
36. The Twin Paradox: Without Acceleration
37. The Twin Paradox: The Twins Communicate
38. The Relativistic Doppler Effect
39. The Twins Communicate: Quantitative
40. Implications for Mass: Intuitive Explanation
41. Force and Energy
42. E = mc²
43. Special Relativity: Course Recap
44. Final Exam