Albert

Einstein
(1879-1955)
"My life is a simple thing that
would interest no one,"

Why was he a genius?

• Had strong beliefs about
the world
• Recognized simple truths
• Followed those truths to
their natural implications
1879 (March 14) Born in Ulm,
Germany, to Hermann Einstein and
Pauline Koch

1880 Einsteins move to Munich.

 1881 Sister Maja born
1884 Around this time, Albert receives
his first compass which began his
quest to investigate the natural
world.
1888 Enters Luitpold school in Munich.
1889 At age 10, Albert starts a program
of self education in science.

1891 “At the age of 12 I experienced a wonder in a booklet dealing

with Euclidean plane geometry that came into my hands at the
beginning of a school year. Here were assertions, as for example
the intersection of the three altitudes of a triangle in one point
which - though by no means evident- could never-the-less be
proved with such certainly that any doubt appeared to be out of
the question. This lucidity and certainty made an indescribable
impression on me.”
 1894 Family moves to
Italy, Albert stays at
Luitpold for one term.

1895 Rejoins family in Pavia, tries to skip high school by

taking the entrance exam to the Swiss Polytechnic, a
top technical university, but he fails the arts portion.
His family sends him to the Swiss town of Aarau
where he finishes high school at age 17.
"It is almost a miracle that modern teaching methods have not yet
entirely strangled the holy curiousity of inquiry; for what this
delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation,
is freedom."

1896 Renounces German citizenship. Gets diploma from

Aarau, enrolls at ETH (Federal Institute of Technology) in
Zurich.
"School-Leaving" Certificate
from Aargau Kantonsschule
October 3, 1896
Einstein was a strong student in
math and physics, but he was less
fond of languages, as seen by his
final grades. The highest mark
possible was a "6." This
certificate enabled Einstein to
enroll in the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology at the age
of 17.
Translation:
The Board of Education of the Canton Aargau hereby certifies that Mr. Albert Einstein of
Ulm, born on March 14, 1879, attended the Aargau Kantonsschule, namely the III and IV
classes of the vocational school. After taking the written and oral school-leaving
examination held on September 18, 19, 21 and 30, 1896, he received the following marks:
German 5
French 3
English –
Italian 5 Depending on how the English
History 6 grade enters, he had a GPA on
Geography 4 the 4.0 system of 3.1 – 3.3
Algebra 6
Geometry 6
Descriptive Geometry 6
Not that great!!
Physics 6
Chemistry 5
Natural History 5
Artistic Drawing
4 Technical Drawing
4
Based on these marks, the above is granted the school-leaving certificate, Aarau,
October 3, 1896.
1898 Albert falls in love with
Mileva Maric, a Hungarian
classmate at the ETH.
1900 Gets diploma from ETH.
1901 Unemployed, he
becomes Swiss citizen. He
and Mileva meet in northern
Italy for some hanky-panky.
Mileva becomes pregnant. In
the fall, Albert finds work in
Schaffhausen, Switzerland as
a tutor. Mileva moves to Stein Am Rhein, three miles upriver.
Mileva then moves to Hungary to give birth to their baby at
her parent's home. Albert moves to Bern.
1902 In January, Mileva
gives birth to their
daughter, Lieserl, whom
they eventually put up for
adoption. She reportedly
becomes ill and then all
record of her disappears.

Albert takes a job at the Swiss Patent Office. Hermann

Einstein becomes ill and dies.
1903 Marries Mileva Maric

1904 Mileva gives birth to their first

of two sons, Hans Albert.
In the “Miracle Year” of 1905, Einstein sent 4 papers to
Annalen der Physik, the leading German physics
journal.

These four papers changed the world!!

Über
“Oneinen die Erzeugung
a heuristic und concerning
point of view Verwandlungthedes Lichtes
production
betreffenden heuristishen
and transformation Gesichtspunkt
of light.”

Light can act as though it is a discrete parcel of energy

Contradicts the accepted theory that light consists of smoothly

oscillating electromagnetic waves

Light “quanta” could explain phenomena being studied by

experimental physicists such as the Photoelectric Effect

He won the Nobel prize in 1921 for this work

E a f
E = hf
and
Emin > hfmin
“On a movement
Die von of small particles
der molekularkinetischen inder
Theorie stationary
Wärme
liquids required
geforderte by the
Bewegung molecular-kinetic
von in theory of
ruhenden Flüssigkeiten
heat”
Combined kinetic theory and fluid dynamics to show
conclusively that the observed erratic motion of particles
suspended in a liquid, “Brownian motion”, were caused by the
bombardment of invisible molecules of the liquid.
Obtained a formula for their diffusion rate.
Extended this in his doctoral dissertation (also 1905) which
shows how to calculate Avogadro's number and hence the sizes
of molecules.
Jean Perrin was awarded the Nobel prize for the experimental
verification of this theory.
 “On the electrodynamics
Elektrodynamic of moving
bewegter bodies”
Körper

Physical measurements of mechanical systems are identical

whether in a fixed laboratory or in one moving with constant
velocity (principle of relativity).
Maxwell's theory of electromagnetic waves: Light should
violate this due to motion in the “ether”. But several ingenious
experiments could see no result.
A very careful analysis shows that the principle of relativity
still applies. This is now known as the Special Theory of
Relativity
Completely changed the way we think about space and time
and eventually revolutionized our understanding of cosmology.
 d = vt

l =c0t0

L = ct

Einstein’s genius: c0 = c
independent of v !!!
v = vinit

v = vinit + vtrain
v=c

v=c
 (ct ) 2  (ct0 ) 2  (vt ) 2
(ct ) 2  (vt ) 2  (ct0 ) 2
2
d = vt c t  v t  c t0
2 2 2 2 2

2
v 2
t 2  2 t 2  t0
c
 v 2

t 1  2   t0
2 2
l =ct
=c00t0
 c 
L = ct  
2 1 
t  t0 
2
2 
1 v 2 
 c 
1
  2
 1 
t  t0  2 
1 v 2 
 c 
 1
 1  2
t  t0  2 
 1   

The Lorentz
t  t0  
contraction!!
v 1
 ;  1
c

1  2  2

c = constant for any constant velocity

reference frame (including v=0)
Some consequences of Special Relativity:
The length of an object decreases as its speed
increases
Clocks passing by you run more slowly than do
clocks at rest
An object approaching the speed of light becomes
infinitely massive.
Concept of Spacetime
 Ist die Trägheit
“Does eines
the inertia ofKörpers
a body von seinem
depend onEnergieeinhalt abhängig?
its energy content?”

The Special Theory of Relativity is linked to Maxwell's equations

Surprizing conclusion: If a body emits energy in the form of radiation

then its mass must be reduced by a proportional amount.
Mv  E
c Mx  mL
vE x  mL
cM M
v  x  x  vt
t
xE t
cM Et  mL
cM M
x; v
E  mcL
t
cL
t

M L; c E = mc2
4mp = 4 (1.674 x 10-27) = 6.696 x 10-27 kg

mHe = 6.643 x 10-27 kg

Dm = 0.053 x 10-27 kg

DE = (0.053 x 10-27 )(9 x 1016) = 4.77 x 10-12 Joules

This is the power of the Sun!

1906 Still living in Bern, Einstein continues as an Examiner at the
Swiss Patent Office
1907 -Planckshe Theorie der Strahlung und die Theorie der
spezifische Wärme, quantum theory for solids (specific heats).
-Relativitätsprinzip und die aus demselben gezogenen Folgerungen,
the principle of general relativity--gravitation is equivalent to
acceleration.
1909 Becomes associate professor at University of Zurich.
Further work on quantum theory.
1910 Son Eduard is born.
1911 Becomes full professor at Karl-Ferdinand University in Prague.
Predicts bending of starlight at eclipses (but gets the magnitude
wrong).
1912 Becomes professor at the ETH in Zurich.
1914 Becomes professor at University of Berlin. Separates from
Mileva and sons.
Outbreak of First World War.
1915 Cosigns "Manifesto to Europeans" separating himself from
German militarism.
-Feldgleichungen der Gravitation, the general relativity
equations.
1916 Becomes president of the German Physical Society.
-Quantentheorie der Strahlung, derives momentum carried by light
quanta; a 1917 paper with the same title explains stimulated
emission. Die Grundlage der allgemeinen Relativitätstheorie, book
laying out the general theory of relativity.
Behind the Scenes:
"Grossmann, you've got to help me, or I'll go
crazy," Einstein wrote to his good friend
Marcel Grossmann when General Relativity
hit a mathematical roadblock. Grossmann had
twice before come to the rescue; this time he
identified the mathematics Einstein needed to
complete the new theory.
 A useful tool:

The Metric = ds2

y
 A measure of
B
distance in a
spacetime
ds  For a flat spacetime
dy it is given simply by
the Pythagorean
Theorem:
A dx

ds2 = dx2 + dy2

x
 ds2 = dx2 + dy2 + …

ds2 = something more

complicated!

LIKE:
1
~ (dx2 + dy2)
r
Robertson – Walker Metric:


ds 2  R 2 d 2  d 2  u (  ) 2 d 2 
t  To   sin  
R  cTo 1  cos 

u (  )  sin 
 sinh 
1917 Becomes director of Kaiser-Wilhelm Institute (which supports
research in Germany).
-Kosmologische Betrachtungen zur allgemeinen Relativitätstheorie,
cosmology equations with the "cosmological parameter term" to stop
the universe from expanding.
1918 End of First World War; revolution in Germany.
1919 Divorced from Mileva. Marries his cousin Elsa Einstein
Löwenthal (1876-1936). Her adult daughters by a previous marriage,
Ilse (1897-1934) and Margot (1899-1986), had already legally taken
the name Einstein.

Bending of light near sun observed at eclipse.

• Mass warps space resulting in light
traveling in curved paths Actual Position

Apparent Position
May 29, 1919 Solar eclipse turns Einstein into an international hero.

Isaac Newton's 17th-century

description of gravity
became obsolete as the
clouds parted on May 29,
1919, and the Sun and Moon
aligned in an eclipse. Images
of known stars confirmed
what Einstein's "General
Theory of Relativity"
predicted: the Sun's gravity
acts like a lens and deflects
light from distant stars,
making them appear in new
locations. The 1919 eclipse. The green lines on the
bottom right-hand corner of the image mark
the positions of the stars which were used to
test the theory of general relativity
One of the stars from the
1919 eclipse observation. The
image has been magnified
281 times. The small red line
on the right shows the size of
the shift in the star's apparent
position.

The press reaction was extraordinary. Einstein was immediately

propelled onto the front pages of the world’s media and, almost
overnight, became a household name.
 Is General Relativity right?
The orbit of Mercury is explained by
Relativity better than Kepler’s laws

Light is measurably deflected by the Sun’s

gravitational curving of spacetime.

Extremely accurate clocks run more slowly

when being flown in airplanes

Some stars have spectra that have been

gravitationally redshifted.
 1921 First visit to United States.
1922 Works on unified field theory. Visits Far East.
Awarded Nobel Prize in physics

The Royal Swedish Academy of

Sciences has at its meeting on
November 9, 1922, according
to the directions in the by
Albert Einstein
for his services to
Alfred Nobel drawn up will
Theoretical Physics, and
from November 27, 1895,
especially for his discovery
decided to-independent of the
of the law of the
value, which after possible
photoelectric effect.
confirmation may be
attributed to the theories of
relativity and gravitation-
present the prize, which for
1921 is awarded to the person
who within the study of physics
has made the most important
discovery or invention to
1924 Inauguration of Einstein Institute with "Einstein Tower" in
Potsdam.
-Quantentheorie des einigatomigen idealen Gases, the "Bose-
Einstein" quantum theory of statistical fluctuations.
1927 Begins dialogue on quantum theory interpretation with Niels
Bohr at the fifth Solvay Congress.
1929-Einheitliche Feldtheorie, widely publicized attempt to unify
gravitational and electromagnetic field theories.

1930 Extended visit to United States, chiefly at the California Institute

of Technology.

1932 Appointed professor at Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton,

intending to divide time between there and Berlin.
1933 Nazis come to power in Germany; Einstein settles in US.
1935 -Can
1935 -Can quantum-mechanical
quantum-mechanical description
description of
of physical
physical reality
reality be
be
considered complete?
considered complete? (with
(with B.
B. Podolsky
Podolsky and
and N.
N. Rosen),
Rosen), continuing
continuing the
the
debate over
debate over interpretation.
interpretation.
1936 Death
1936 Death of
of Elsa.
Elsa.

1939 Outbreak
1939 Outbreak of
of Second
Second World
World War;
War; Einstein
Einstein signs
signs letter
letter to
to President
President
Roosevelt warning
Roosevelt warning ofof possibility
possibility of
of atomic
atomic bombs.
bombs.
1940 Becomes
1940 Becomes citizen
citizen of
of United
United States
States (retaining
(retaining Swiss
Swiss citizenship).
citizenship).
1945 Atomic
1945 Atomic bombing
bombing of of Hiroshima
Hiroshima and
and Nagasaki;
Nagasaki; end
end of
of Second
Second World
World
War.
War.
1946 Serves
1946 Serves as
as chairman
chairman of of Emergency
Emergency Committee
Committee of of Atomic
Atomic Scientists.
Scientists.

1948 -Generalized
1948 -Generalized theory
theory of
of gravitation,
gravitation, an
an example
example of
of continuing
continuing
attempts to
attempts to find
find aa more
more universal
universal mathematical
mathematical approach
approach to
to field
field theory.
theory.
1952 Offered presidency of Israel, and declines.
1955 (April 18) Dies in Princeton.

Dec 31 1999
 The Einstein Field Equations:
Geometry = Physics Stress-Energy
tensor

G  8 T

Metric tensor

1
R  g R  8 T
2  

Ricci tensor Ricci

scalar
 1
R  g  R  g    8 T
2

16 coupled non-linear differential

equations! 1
R  g R  g   8 T
R
00
R R2 00
R  
00 00
 00 01 02 03 

R R R1 R 
 10 R 11  12 g 13R  g   8 T
R
 20
01
R
21
R 2 01
22
R 
23 
01 Symmetric 01
R R R R  i.e., 00 
 30 31 32 33   01 11 
R21 = R12  
02 12 22 
 
 03 13 23 33
So actually only 10…
Karl Schwarzschild (a briliant physicist) volunteered for military
service during world war I. He served in Belgium, France, and
finally Russia. While in Russia in 1915, he wrote two papers on
Einstein's relativity theory and one on Planck's quantum theory.

Schwarzschild's relativity papers

give the first exact solution of
Einstein's general gravitational
equations, giving an understanding
of the geometry of space near a
point mass. He sent the first paper
to Einstein who replied:-
“I had not expected that one
could formulate the exact
solution of the problem in
such a simple way.”
The simplest example
1
R00  g00 R  T00
2
Has solution (the Schwarzschild metric):
  dr 2
ds 2   1     dt 2 
2 m
  r  1  (2m / r )


 r 2 d 2  sin 2  d 2 
What happens for r = 0 and r = 2m?
r=0
ds   1     dt ...  
2   2m   2
  0r   The Big Bang
r = 2m
2
...  
dr
ds2  ... A Black Hole
1  (2m / r2m )

It’s singular… (singularity …)

Both Einstein and Schwartzschild didn’t
believe the black hole solution had
anything to do with reality.
The debate about
black holes continues…

(and the search goes on)