Einstein's Twin Paradox Research Paper by Jay Writtings LLC

Einstein's Twin Paradox
A look at the discovery and impact of Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity and the resulting twin paradox.
# 116172 | 2,831 words | 6 sources | APA | 2009 | US
Published on Aug 31, 2009 in Physics (Relativity)


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Description:

This paper discusses how with the publishing of his new special theory of relativity in 1905, Albert Einstein revolutionized the way scientists understood physics, rewriting the paradigm for describing the processes that affect our world. In particular, it looks at how one of the consequences of the theory of relativity is the so-called 'twin paradox', a thought experiment proposed by physicists analyzing the effects of consequences of the theory on a pair of twins, with one twin traveling at or near the speed of light while the other remains 'stationary' on Earth. The paper focuses on a simple scenario in which the traveling twin, at the moment of synchronizing his atomic watch with his Earth-bound counterpart, reaches his near-light cruising speed, and comes to zero-speed at the moment of the final watch measurement when back on earth. The time it takes him to turn around and start his trip back, however, will be taken into account. Finally, for purposes of simplicity, the paper follows the models set forth by many of the popular explanations of the twin paradox by giving each of the twins a name.

From the Paper:

"Prior to Einstein, classical physicists like Galileo and Newton formulated complex and elaborate equations that they used to describe the laws of the universe. Gravity was an all-important force that operated at a distance on objects. Distance and time were fixed variables. The movement of one object was always relative to the position of another object, as has been demonstrated by countless examples involving a train passenger and an observer on a platform. If a passenger drops an item to the floor of a train, the item will land in a direct line below where he dropped it, with no horizontal movement. Now, if the train is moving at 10ft/second, and the passenger drops the item, an observer on the platform would see something different. "

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Bethell, T. (1990). A Challenge to Einstein. National Review. Vol. 32.
  • Bohm, D. (1996). The special theory of relativity. New York: Routledge.
  • National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), (1995). Einstein's legacy. Retrieved May 1, 2007, Web site: http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/ NumRel/EinsteinLegacy.html
  • Parker, B. (1991). Cosmic time travel: A scientific oddessy. New York: Plenum Press.
  • Weiss, Michael (2006). The physics and relativity FAQ. Retrieved May 1, 2007, Web site: http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics

Cite this Research Paper:

APA Format

Einstein's Twin Paradox (2009, August 31) Retrieved December 04, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/research-paper/einstein-twin-paradox-116172/

MLA Format

"Einstein's Twin Paradox" 31 August 2009. Web. 04 December. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/research-paper/einstein-twin-paradox-116172/>

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