Einstein and Relativity

Oberlin College Physics 51

Fall 2021

This World Wide Web page written by Dan Styer, Oberlin College Department of Physics and Astronomy;
http://www.oberlin.edu/physics/dstyer/Einstein/;
last updated 11 November 2021.

Technical note: To access the links marked (PDF) you must first download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader or Open Standard software.


Teacher: Dan Styer.

Class meetings are at Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 10:00 am.

Textbook.

Course syllabus.

Handouts

Summary sheet (PDF)

How can a ladybug flying in a moving car fly slower than common sense predicts?

The Theory of Interstellar Trade (PDF). A twelve-page paper, packed with physics and economics in-jokes, written by now-distinguished economist Paul Krugman back in July 1978, when he was a struggling young assistant professor. Addresses the question "How should interest charges on goods in transit be computed when the goods travel at close to the speed of light?"

End-of-course information

Solution to joust problem.

Model solution for assignment 5

Sample final exam 1

Model solutions for sample final exam 1

Sample final exam 2

Model solutions for sample final exam 2

Is the path of light bent by gravity? (Presentation given in class Thursday, 11 November 2021.)