EINSTEIN’S AMAZING THEORY OF SPECIAL RELATIVITY The detection of gravitational waves from colliding back holes and the first pictures of the massive centre of our galaxy, both consequences of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, have dominated science news for the last few years. However, Einstein’s earlier Theory of Special Relativity shook our understanding of the universe as profoundly as the discovery that the earth travels around the sun and not vice versa. In this session, we will see how a finite speed of light changes our conception of time and space. Michael Coombes earned his BSc (Hon) in Physics and Mathematics from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He earned an MSc and PhD in Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He has been a professor at Kwantlen since 1992 and has taught a second-year course is Special Relativity for many years. He is currently president of the British Columbia chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers which is an organization dedicated to physics education outreach (BCAPT.ca). He delivered a previous TALK on “Seeing the Unseeable”.
DATE: TIME: LOCATION: FEE: GUEST PRESENTER: FACILITATOR: REGISTER BY: TO REGISTER:
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Thu, Feb 25 11:00 am – 12:30 pm ONLINE $15 Michael Coombes Sonya Furst 778-833-3762, sonyafurst@outlook.com Thu, Feb 18 See page 36
