The Idea Which Changed The View of Universe

T
he curiosity to gen-up on origin the of life Man-the dominant species on the
earth ,who has the capability of rational thinking started searching every
nook and corner available for him. People like Aristotle and others developed
different notions such as the motion of bodies impeded understanding of gravitation for a
long time. He believed that force could only be applied by contact; force at a distance
being impossible, and a constant force was required to maintain a body in uniform motion.

Back to Ages:

In early 1500s Copernicus's a Mathematician and Astronomer gave a view of

the solar system which was important as it allowed sensible consideration of gravitation.
Kepler's laws of planetary motion and Galileo's understanding of the motion and falling
bodies set the scene for Newton's theory of gravity which was presented in the Principia in
1687.

According to the classical laws of physics which were formulated by Newton

in the Principia in 1687 the motion of a particle has to be described relative to an inertial
frame in which the particle, not subjected to external forces, will move at a constant
velocity in a straight line. Two inertial frames are related in that they move in a fixed
direction at a constant speed with respect to each other. Time in the frames differs by a
constant and all times can be described relative to an absolute time. Expressing explicitly
Newtons Theory was based on absolute space and time.

This 17th-century theory was not challenged until the 19th century when
electric and magnetic phenomena were studied theoretically. Those were the days people
strongly believed that light requires a medium to propagate through called ether. Many
19th century scientists like Cauchy, Stokes, Thomson, Planck and others postulated ether
with different properties. By the end of the 19th century light, heat, electricity, and
magnetism all had their respective ethers.
A knowledge that electromagnetic field was spread with speed of light, which
prompted the Maxwell to propose that light is a form of electromagnetic phenomenon.
Influenced and prompted by Maxwells approach, Michealson and Morley conducted an
experiment to find the presence of existence of ether in 1887 called history as Michealson-
Morley Experiment. The results of the experiment shook the scientific community as they
could not find any substantial evidence for the presence of aether. Though experiment
failed to prove the existence of aether it eventually led to development most revolutionary
theory that man has ever done called Special Relativity
What did Einstein really propose in his theory?
In 1905 Special Relativity or Special Theory of Relativity was proposed by
Albert Einstein ,a 26-year-old patent clerk wrote a paper Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter
Koerper("On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies") and General Theory of Relativity
which was published in 1915 made Einstein hero worldwide. For these accomplishments,
he has always been held in high regard as most influential thinkers of the century.
Albert Einstein is taught to school children as a potential role model and
sooner his image was been able to recognizable to the majority of the population across
the globe. His name has been a synonym for words genius and intelligence.
It has two main parts First, Laws of Physics are identical (The laws of physics
dont change, even for objects moving in inertial (constant speed) frames of reference) and
he discovered that speed of light is constant and thereby establishing a limit that, any
particle or signal couldnt travel beyond speed of light (3*10 8 m/sec).Secondly, Einstein
determined space and time, not absolutes thereby unifying space and time into 4-
dimensional view of universe referred as the space-time continuum. Another paper which
followed with first was Ist die Traegheit eines Koerpers von seinem Energieinhalt
abhaengig? (Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?) Contains
most celebrated equation E = mc.2
Looking into a super simple equation with five characters and algebra left the
scientific world in bizarre. We often look this same equation on grocery boxes,
commercials and newspaper advertisements to signify education and knowledge. While
most of the common audience may not understand what this phrase really stands for and
its far reaching implications in future over a period of a century. Speaking history of
science from the top view it should be viewed as, before and after the Einstein theory of
relativity because of its everlasting impact on many scientists all over the world. The
equation has become such popular that usage of the phrase indicates common audience to
regard what follows intelligent knowledgeable and accurate.
Even though my schooling and pre-graduate studies have been geared by
science, this equation was fascination and bewildering till it was during my graduate
studies while one of my professors teaching electromagnetic classes for the first time, I
came across brilliance of this equation. When I got to know energy equals mass times
speed of light squared. That class could not solve all my doubts in my mind I came to
home as soon as class is over and started thinking what would that equation really meant, I
started searching on this equation in internet and books.
 As even I learn more, I could realize interceptions and applications of this
deceivingly super simple equation are even more sounding what it give energy is not but
the manifestation of mass interchangeably, construction of the atomic bomb, creation, and
study of new branches astrophysics and particle physics .This theory has direct application
global positioning system and nuclear energy production more...
But this mass-energy equivalence equation only one aspect of special relativity yet still
most commonly cited work of Einstein. These two theories (Special Theory of Relativity
and General Theory of Relativity) not only affected the scientific world by creating new
branches new studies but have a tremendous impact on daily life, philosophy, and society
which are of high importance.
Aftermath of proposing this two theories Einstein fame has immensely risen and created a
variety of audience across the globe. Einstein theories impacted daily life like how we eat,
how we travel, how we measure distances (relative to the frame of reference) but also used
by philosophers and politicians to turn moral philosophy upside down. Prior to relativity,
there were people like Aristotle, Kant who argued absolute ways of truth and various ways
of approaching truth. However armed with relativistic ideas, facts seem to appear not
absolute but dependent on viewers frame of reference.
The conventional way of deciding right or wrong has changed as every point validated and
account on one's point of view. Due to these strong implications on society Einstein has
become a hero. Amazingly he could able to influence and comment on social and national
policies such as nuclear warfare and human rights. On seeing these realms of influence it
becomes obvious that Einstein not an Extraordinary Scientist but man who has changed
the view of the world in many ways. For these reasons Einstein very often regarded as the
most influential person in modern history.
Like countless scientists, philosophers, politicians, professors, engineers and students all
over the world, I have been deeply influenced by his "Relativity Theories"

"The Idea Which Changed the View of Universe" is my tribute to it

Sai Charan Bharadwaj