Is it time to stop teaching Euclid and Newton...

[mistermack]

For most peoples' purposes,

Relativity > Newtonian

But, Relativity - Newtonian = FA

Therefore, Newtonian

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I got it at last; you're taking the Mickey.

He's been doing that for several year. Have you really only just noticed?

[JimC]

I got it at last; you're taking the Mickey.

And he's taken him a long fucking way.

I think I hear Mickey say "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore"...

[klr]

It is important to tell students in high school that the Newtonian physics they are learning is a special case of a broader theory, a special case that applies excellently for a very wide range of problems.

Yes, that's all well and good, but could you dumb it down a bit?

[JimC]

It is important to tell students in high school that the Newtonian physics they are learning is a special case of a broader theory, a special case that applies excellently for a very wide range of problems.

Yes, that's all well and good, but could you dumb it down a bit?

Push big rock! It hard!

Push little rock! It easy!

[klr]

It is important to tell students in high school that the Newtonian physics they are learning is a special case of a broader theory, a special case that applies excellently for a very wide range of problems.

Yes, that's all well and good, but could you dumb it down a bit?

Push big rock! It hard!

Push little rock! It easy!

"Apple fall on head". That should cover all they need to know about gravity.

[subversive science]

I think the point is that we can teach Relativity conceptually — without the maths — and that would allow younger generations to understand things like curved space or time as another dimension.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I think the point is that we can teach Relativity conceptually — without the maths — and that would allow younger generations to understand things like curved space or time as another dimension.

This is true. Shame that doesn't really extend to Quantum Physics, which basically says, "Whatever your senses and previous experience tell you about the REAL nature of reality is very very WRONG!" After that, it goes on to describe the nature of that wrongness... using some of the most complex and difficult mathematics ever to have a practical application! FUN FUN FUN!!1!!

[JimC]

I think the point is that we can teach Relativity conceptually — without the maths — and that would allow younger generations to understand things like curved space or time as another dimension.

This is true. Shame that doesn't really extend to Quantum Physics, which basically says, "Whatever your senses and previous experience tell you about the REAL nature of reality is very very WRONG!" After that, it goes on to describe the nature of that wrongness... using some of the most complex and difficult mathematics ever to have a practical application! FUN FUN FUN!!1!!

And even some of the maths, like length contraction as you approach c isn't that hard...

Our final year Physics students do an introductory unit on that...

And sure, the maths used in quantum mechanics is a bitch and a half...

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I think the point is that we can teach Relativity conceptually — without the maths — and that would allow younger generations to understand things like curved space or time as another dimension.

This is true. Shame that doesn't really extend to Quantum Physics, which basically says, "Whatever your senses and previous experience tell you about the REAL nature of reality is very very WRONG!" After that, it goes on to describe the nature of that wrongness... using some of the most complex and difficult mathematics ever to have a practical application! FUN FUN FUN!!1!!

And even some of the maths, like length contraction as you approach c isn't that hard...

Our final year Physics students do an introductory unit on that...

And sure, the maths used in quantum mechanics is a bitch and a half...

Special Relativity is a doddle. The formulae contain nothing too strenuous and the derivations follow nice and easily from a few simple, easily-understood premises. A top pre-University student should be able to follow it.

General relativity, on the other hand, is a bitch! The maths is HARD and required me to learn a whole slew of new techniques before I could follow it to any degree (to be honest, even though I managed to follow most of it, I still can't claim that I understand it - at least not to the state where I would feel competent to teach it to a student, or where it is as obvious as its special cousin.) Mind you, it took Einstein a huge chunk of his life and collaboration with cutting-edge mathematicians to derive his formulae - so I shouldn't feel to derpy about that! I recommend this book as a great guide through its complexity.

Quantum Mechanics is not just a bitch and a half, but bitch to the power bitch! Where Relativity was the result of a single genius with good contacts, the quantum revolution has a cast of thousands - ALL of whom were/are among the greatest physicists and/or mathematicians of their day! The maths is HORRENDOUS even at the most basic level and grows exponentially from there! I can follow parts of it to some degree but it would take more time than I am prepared to spare (or have to spare) to gain any usable understanding. Sadly, there is no equivalent book I can recommend - although Leonard Susskind's Youtube lectures on the Stanford University site are well worth the effort if you have MANY hours to spare! This link has ALL of them - 136 - about 2 hours apiece! It starts with classical mechanics and following his approach to this definitely makes his later exploration of QM easier to follow.