University of WisconsinWhitewater Department of Physics

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University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of
Physics World Year of Physics Fall Lecture
Series 2005 Celebrating Einsteins Miracle
Year in which he published papers establishing
the field of quantum mechanics and modifying our
understanding of space and time
itself. Confirmed Lectures Quantum
Construction Building the nanotechnology of the
future Prof. Robert Carpick Dept of
Engineering Physics, U of Wisconsin-Madison The
Shape of the Universe Prof. Peter
Timbie Dept of Physics, U of Wisconsin-Madison
Quantum Mechanics and the Nature of Reality
Prof. Laura Ruetsche Dept of Philosophy, U of
Pittsburgh The Women of the Manhattan Project
Prof. Ruth Howes Dept of Physics, Marquette
University The Nature of Neutron Stars Dr.
Pat Slane Chandra Science Center,
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Other
World Year of Physics Events can be found at
www.physics2005.org.
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What was Einstein so famous for anyway?
Ask someone who the most famous physicist is and
the answer will most probably be Albert
Einstein. In 1905, Einstein wrote three papers
(on light quanta, Brownian motion and the special
theory of relativity), which would change the way
we looked at physics. Given his iconic status in
modern physics, the U.S. decided on Einstein in
the 21st Century as its theme for the World Year
of Physics 2005the hundredth anniversary of
those papers.
http//www.physics2005.org/einstein.html
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What was Einstein so famous for anyway?
1905 - Miraculous Year In only a few months
Einstein wrote three fundamental papers The
first paper was on the Photoelectric Effect. It
claimed that light must sometimes behave like a
stream of particles with discrete energies,
"quanta." Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in
1921 for his discovery of the photoelectric
effect. The second paper explained the
observation of Brownian Motion. It offered an
experimental test for the theory of heat. The
third paper described Special Relativity, the
connection between electromagnetic theory and
ordinary motion. In a three-page addition to his
paper, Einstein derived his famous equation
Emc2. In 1915 Einstein extended his theory to
include gravity and created the theory of
General Relativity.
http//www.physics2005.org/einstein.html
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Links to find out more about Einstein
http//www.aip.org/history/einstein/
Download Einsteins book from Project
Gutenburg http//promo.net/pg/ http//www.gutenber
g.org/etext/5001
Quirks and Quarks CBC Radio Podcast http//www.pod
cast.net/show/20842