I want to know about velocity, and theories of relativity and things as such.. but i read and i dont get it, but i want to know....
I just want to know thw basics so i can work from there.... pleeeassseeeZ!!!!!!

Originally posted by Agent@5
I want to know about velocity, and theories of relativity and things as such.. but i read and i dont get it, but i want to know....
I just want to know thw basics so i can work from there.... pleeeassseeeZ!!!!!!

uh...that is a little general.

velocity is distance / time. I believe velocity is vector so it has a direction.

theories of relativity is not something that can be explained in just one post. That is why people write a 300 page text book you know. I can probably answer most questions if you have something specific.

agent

You've asked a mighty big request, but not to worry, these things can be done.

Why don't you start at the beginning and take it step by step.

How is your math ? What do you know about Newtons laws ?

yeah, I didnt know where to start!! sorry for it being so broad.

Its just I here so many things these things are applicable too, and I just wish I understood....

Okay, so newtons law, now I read that somewhere.... must say, my math is not the finest tuned instrument. BUt all the more reason to learn!

Kay, so you reccomend learning this theory first, yeah?

http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/newtlaws/u2l1a.html... a good site to learn from?

Velocity is distance travelled per unit time in a particular direction.

The theory of relativity deals with how to convert one person's observations to another person's point of view. If one person moves relative to the other, what will he see, given that the "stationary" person sees X?

Those are the basics.

must say, my math is not the finest tuned instrument

Mechanics and basic theory of relativity don't require extensive math. SOS Math (http://www.sosmath.com) can answer most of your math questions. it's a great site.
To understand thoroughly what velocity, acceleration, force and such are, you should learn at least the basics of calculus (I assume you don't know it).
You should also understand vectors, for they are extensively used in mechanics (you can't find tutorials on vectors in SOS Math. You'll have to learn about them somewhere else. Maybe here. Again, I assume you don't know what vectors are).
Once you understand derivatives, vectors and integrals, you have no problem understanding Newtonian mechanics and basic relativistic mechanics (maybe it's because Einstein sucked in math and his wife did all the calculations for him...)
In order to understand the special theory of relativity (Einsteins' theory), you have to understand the general theory of relativity (Galileos' theory), the three Newton laws and the concept of force, mass and different kinds of energy (potential, kinetic, etc). The difference between the special theory and the general thory is velocity.
The special theory of relativity deals with velocities closer to the speed of light, while the general theory deals with everyday velocities.
The general theory of relativity is really simple to grasp. It requires an understanding of velocity and acceleration and once you know that the general theory becomes obvious.
Unlike the general theory, the special theory requires imagination and it's much more complex and much harder to grasp then the general theory.

Oh, and I'll give you a tip. If you really intend to seriously learn mechanics, you shouldn't just remember all the formulas by heart.
You should know how to derive them. It helps you to understand everything in your way. It's also really fascinating to see for yourself how the concept of velocity became something like E=mc².
It's also cooler to remember the derivations, so that when somebody asks you how nuclear fusion works, you'll start deriving equations and explaining them and whoever asked you will be like "wow, dude! Are you some kind of genious?".
That's :cool: cool...
Anyway, we're here for you. Ask whatever is on your mind.

agent

Very well, from this site:

http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/newtlaws/newtltoc.html

Read up on the 4 lessons and let me know what you don't understand.

If you understand, please explain in your own words:

- Newtons 3 laws of motion

- Inertia

Don't go to a forum for this Agent@5.

Buy a physics textbook by Giancoli, the Fifth Edition or later if there are any.

Learn on your own!!

I bet you aren't going to get much out of this. You can't *just* read, you must do the equations, solve problems, and work through all the math to understand it more on a mathematical level. Even watch the MUS (Mechanical Universe Series) tapes by Caltech. Learning it quantitatately won't get you very far...all the smart people out there know what I'm talking about :)

OKay, what ill think ill do... is get some books... try to figure out what the words mean... practice the theories, and come back to this when i dont understand soemthing..... yeah?

Originally posted by Agent@5
OKay, what ill think ill do... is get some books... try to figure out what the words mean... practice the theories, and come back to this when i dont understand soemthing..... yeah?

You said you are in a university right? Just take some classes. That will keep you busy.

senior member... lol

agent

You can go away and read up on books if you like. You can also learn right here. There are some smart cookies on this board. I would suggest reading posts by James R, Crisp and Thed to name a few. If you don't understand what they're talking about, just ask. I've yet to see these guys turn down anyone who truly wanted to learn (and sometimes those who do not).

Q,

I would suggest reading posts by James R, Crisp and Thed to name a few.

That's funny!!! :) It's interesting that you didn't mention c'est moi, overdoze, 137, or me.

Maybe that's because, unlike your group, we're independent thinkers. :)

I've yet to see these guys turn down anyone who truly wanted to learn.

What about Thed? He got upset because he couldn't get his way so he completely stopped posting.

Tom

Originally posted by xaxaro
senior member... lol

was that post directed at me? if so, what is it spose to mean?

Originally posted by Joeman


You said you are in a university right? Just take some classes. That will keep you busy.

I would if i had time, unfortunatley my degree has no need for a physics class.. and i dont have time to catch up....

i realise there are some smart cookies here, that is why I wanted to probe your brains on where to begin. My passion has always been literature, global affairs and behaviour, thus my degree in media, but i wanted to broaden my knowledge.

youve all given me a lot of useful advice, i appreciate it, thankyou... hehehehe right. now, where do i begin again. Books? no books? classes? tutor? forums? lol.... all of the above? see my logic is not use to structure, except essay structue.... so i relaly need to know the very very basics... but ill read through the posts again.. Thanks !!

Which University do you attend?

Macquarie University, in Sydney....... u?

<~~~~~~~~ in Richmond, VA USA.

I was asking because I would think you could take a class as an elective. That is, if you have not already filled those requirements of course.

yeah I proberbly could..... umm i think ill check that out. Ta!

Originally posted by Prosoothus
What about Thed? He got upset because he couldn't get his way so he completely stopped posting.
Tom

No. It is patently obvious you absolutely will not change your point of view no matter how many times things are explained. It is you who are hidebound and inflexible. You are not an independant thinker and it was a waste of my time even trying to enter a discourse with you.

I also don't feed trolls.

Thed,

Welcome back!!!

You have to understand my point of view. For centuries science has used absolute values to derive their formulas. These absolute values, that everyone can agree upon, are the reason science is where it is today.

Suddenly, Einstein comes along and says that everything is relative, and that absolute values don't exist. This was hard for me to accept, and I was relieved when people like c'est moi, overdoze, and 137, explained these "relativistic" phenomena using "absolute" physics.

The fact is, is that I either have to accept that the universe is all relative, or that it is all absolute. To assume that classical mechanics is absolute and relativity is relative at the same time is a contradiction. And since more than 95% percent of the universe obeys "absolute" formulas, I must choose the absolute model.

I'd also like to thank you and all the other people on these forums including: Crisp, c'est moi, Q, overdoze, 137, and even James, for spending all the time you and others have, responding to my posts. As you suggested before, I am the least educated in physics of all of you, and therefore, I was fortunate to learn more than anyone else in these debates on sciforums. You can't possibly imagine how it sucks when you have an idea, but you don't have anyone to discuss it with.

You may think that I am hardheaded and unable to change my opinion, but this is not completely true. There have been times where you and others on this forum destroyed my theories with, sometimes, just one sentence. If someone proves that one of my theories is logically flawed, I will be the first person to abandon it. Most of the arguments we have on these forums are not the results of disputed facts, but are the result of different models that can give the same facts.

Finally, let me say that you shouldn't decide not to participate in a debate just because one or more people in the debate are hardheaded. There a personal gains obtained in debates that are independent of the stuborness or hardeadedness of its participants.

Tom

Please understand my point of view.

I work full time in a professional job with heavily monitored internet access. Management are unhappy with people spending too much time in the Net. I'm on contract to my national airline who, you might guess, are cash strapped. I also have a young family of 3 kids who take a lot of my time. Spare time is precious commodity to me and I 'teach'/debate physics for fun.

If some one is willing to learn and can show open mindedness I am willing to try and point them towards better understanding or resources to help. If they are willfully dragging a point out and not showing any willingness to try and understand, I just don't have time to debate every single point and argument.

FWIW it is good that you are willing to question everything. Science is all about questioning. But before trying to discredit a theory first try and fully understand it.

If you have problems with the postulates of Relativity, don't even try and tackle Quantum Mechanics. It is even more counterintuitive and defies almost every other aspect of 'classical' physics imaginable. Things can exist in many places at once, they exist in multiple states and recent work on 'entanglement' shows information may travel faster than light.

hey.... im not adding to that coz anything i say would just be ignorant!! lol.... but i do lik eyour sig.. you did a lot better than quoting blade runner than i did!!!

i think he meant why don't you know about this stuff if you are a senior member..... not that it matters... i think you should just read about it in one of those physics for kids books or something like that... don't jump right into quantum physics or relativity before you know who Newton is.