Miracle Year
in 1905, while working as a patent clerk, Albert Einstein wrote five scientific papers published to the Annals of Physics, a dominate physics journel. The papers revolutionized modern physics, with one of them winning him the Nobel Prize.
Photoelectirc Effect
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1. "On a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and
Transformation of Light" is a paper Einstein wrote to explain the Photoelectric
Effect, and won Einstein the Nobel Prize for Physics. The Photoelectric Effect
happens when high frequency light hits a matter, causing that matter to expel
electrons. Einstein proposed that light was not a continuous wave, infinitely
occupying all space, but instead, were a finite amount of discrete packets of
quanta, showing that light was made of particles. This explained the
Photoelectric Effect, because it shows that quanta packets of light, otherwise known as photons, that have enough energy can displace matter's electrons and occupy the space of the displaced electron. This paper was revolutionary at the time, and is a backbone for modern quantam mechanics.
Transformation of Light" is a paper Einstein wrote to explain the Photoelectric
Effect, and won Einstein the Nobel Prize for Physics. The Photoelectric Effect
happens when high frequency light hits a matter, causing that matter to expel
electrons. Einstein proposed that light was not a continuous wave, infinitely
occupying all space, but instead, were a finite amount of discrete packets of
quanta, showing that light was made of particles. This explained the
Photoelectric Effect, because it shows that quanta packets of light, otherwise known as photons, that have enough energy can displace matter's electrons and occupy the space of the displaced electron. This paper was revolutionary at the time, and is a backbone for modern quantam mechanics.
Brownian Motion and Atoms
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2."On the Motion of Small Particles Suspended in a Stationary Liquid, as Required by the Molecular Kinetic Theory of Heat" explained the Brownian motion, in which a large particle like dust appeared to move randomly through a space occupied by smaller particles like gases. During the time, scientists did not accept atoms as a real particle, in which case the Brownian motion was extremely hard to explain. With Einstein's paper, he proved the legitimacy of the atom, which allowed him to easily explain Brownian motion by saying that the atoms of the larger dust particles would bounce off the atoms of the smaller gas particles causing the strange motion observed by Brown.
Theory of Special Relativity
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3."On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" introduced Einstein's special theory of relativity. which explains that the speed of light has a fixed speed, and that in a vacuum, it is the same for all observers. It also shows that time moves differently based on the observer's position, and what the observer is relative to. He also introduces new topics such as time and space being homogenous, called space time, and how light can change and bend from different observer's perception. Physicists of the time rejected Einstein's theory of special relativity, until Max Planck, revered physicist of the time, sought interest in Einstein's theory. Max complimented Einstein's new idea, and the science community soon accepted Einstein's theory of special relativity, and later, general relativity.
E = mc2
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4."Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?" relates mass with energy. It introduces perhams the most famous equation in physics, E = mc2. This energy is different from laws of kinetic and potential energy; it explains the "rest" energy. It shows that when matter gives off energy as radiation, the matter also decreases in mass. This connection foreshadows the development of nuclear energy, in which atoms are split or fused to release enormous amounts of energy.
Thoery of General Relativity
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5. "Theory of General Relativity" was produced several years later than the above four papers. This theory introduces gravity into the theory of special relativity, his third paper. It explains that space and time are homogenous, aka, spacetime. He explained that matter can curve spacetime, implying blackholes, ones who's gravitational pull is so great that not even light can escape its presence. Singularities are side-effects of General Relativity, the same singularities that caused the Big Bang, and the same that describes the future Big Crunch.