Chapter 5
What You Must Know about Classical Physics
IN THIS CHAPTER
Matter and energy: Each affects the other
Transferring energy through waves and vibrations
Newton’s four revolutionary breakthroughs
Electricity and magnetism: One and the same
No matter how complex modern physics concepts get, they have their roots in classical ideas. To understand the revolutions leading up to string theory, you need to first understand these basic ideas. You’ll then be able to understand how string theory recovers and generalizes them.
In this chapter, we present some physics concepts that you need to be familiar with to understand string theory. First, we discuss three fundamental concepts in physics: matter, energy, and how they interact. Next, we explain waves and vibrations, which are crucial to understanding stringy behavior. Gravity is also key, so Sir Isaac Newton’s important discoveries come next. Finally, we give a brief overview of electromagnetic radiation, an important aspect of physics that led directly into the discovery of both relativity and quantum physics — the two theories ...
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