Discuss The Mechanical Universe
Discuss → TV Shows → The Mechanical Universe → General
If I could pick only one episode to watch . . .
posted by PT 100STAFFMOD on February 15, 2017 at 5:38 PM
. . . it would be "Kepler to Einstein," which may be viewed here: http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=582
Galileo formulated the Law of Falling Bodies, which leads to the astonishing conclusion that in a vacuum, any two objects, when released from a given height, will reach the ground simultaneously irrespective of their masses! (this was verified by the Apollo astronauts on the Moon using a feather and a wrench).
Galileo stated the law; Newton was the first to attempt an explanation for this mysterious fact based on his mathematical formulation of the law of gravity. But it took Einstein to give the correct explanation, coming to the even more astonishing conclusion that gravity is not actually a force, but is instead a description of how bodies move in curved space-time (relativity theory).
Reply by Kathy
on June 9, 2017 at 8:25 AM
Yes, for the first time I really thought about, and was struck by, the fact of gravity seemingly adjusting for every mass to produce the same effect no matter size or weight. It becomes an effect of space/time that works with a constant we cannot really know yet, only guess at. That said, lol at the Irish Coffee's crew in "Vectors" just sitting around lost drinking Budweiser all day waiting for the National Guard to figure out their coordinates. They would never even think of using that scenario today!
Reply by PT 100
on June 14, 2017 at 5:08 AM
Yeah, the stranded sailors are so last century.