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Definition: Einstein, Albert from Philip's Encyclopedia

US physicist, b. Germany, who devised the famous theories of relativity. Einstein published many important theoretical papers: his explanation of Brownian movement confirmed the reality of atoms, his application of quantum theory to photoelectricity won him the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics. In 1905, he devised the special theory of relativity, which completely revolutionized physics and led, through its equivalence of mass and energy (E = mc2), to the invention of the atomic bomb. In 1916, Einstein produced the general theory of relativity. He also made other fundamental contributions to quantum theory.


Einstein, Albert (1879-1955)

From The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Place: United States of America, Germany Subject : biography, physics German-born US theoretical physicist who revolutionized our understanding of matter, space, and time with his two theories of relativity. Einstein also established that light may have a particle nature and deduced the photoelectric law that governs the production of electricity from light-sensitive metals. For this achievement, he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics. Einstein also investigated Brownian motion and was able to explain it so that it not only confirmed the existence of atoms but could be used to determine their dimensions. He also proposed the equivalence of mass and energy, which enabled physicists to deepen their understanding of the nature of the atom and explained radioactivity and other nuclear processes. Einstein, with his extraordinary insight into the workings of nature, may be compared with Isaac Newton (whose achievements he extended greatly) as one of the greatest scientists ever to…
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Full text Article Albert Einstein

From Great Thinkers A-Z
Albert Einstein is famous as the creator of the special and general theories of relativity, and as a co-founder of quantum theory, the two major revolutions in twentieth-century physics. Einstein contributed to statistical physics and the theory of radiation, but this work is not wellknown to the…
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Full text Article Einstein, Albert

From Astronomy Encyclopedia
German-American theoretical physicist who gained worldwide fame for his theories of SPECIAL RELATIVITY and GENERAL RELATIVITY linking matter, space and time, which had a profound effect on COSMOLOGY . At school and college, he showed no special aptitude; Hermann MINKOWSKI , one of his professors at…
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Full text Article Einstein, Albert

From The Great American History Fact-Finder
Physicist. Einstein, born in Germany and living in Switzerland, published three papers in 1905 that revolutionized science. These papers explained the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, and the theory of relativity. The latter presented the equation E = mc 2 — the energy in matter equals its…
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Full text Article Einstein, Albert (1879–1955)

From The Oxford Encyclopedia of the History of American Science, Medicine, and Technology
physicist and Nobel Prize laureate, considered one of the most significant and revolutionary scientists of all time Born in Ulm, Germany, Einstein spent his early years in Munich, where his father and uncle owned an electrotechnical company. He dropped out of the Luitpold-Gymnasium at age 16 and, …
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Full text Article Einstein, Albert (1879–1955),

From Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy
German-born American physicist, founder of the special and general theories of relativity, and a fundamental contributor to several branches of physics and to the philosophical analysis and critique of modern physics, notably of relativity and the quantum theory. Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize…
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Full text Article Einstein, Albert (1879-1955)

From The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Place: United States of America, Germany Subject : biography, physics German-born US theoretical physicist who revolutionized our understanding of matter, space, and time with his two theories of relativity. Einstein also established that light may have a particle nature and deduced the…
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German-born theoretical physicist, who took Swiss (1901) and US (1940) citizenship. His early work on the photoelectric effect pioneered quantum theory and won him the 1921 Nobel prize. He is best known for his special (1905) and general (1916) theories of relativity. After Hitler’s rise to power he…
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Albert Einstein
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Full text Article Einstein, Albert (1879-1955)

From The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics
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Full text Article Albert Einstein 1879–1955

From The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
German-born American theoretical physicist; originator of the theory of relativity. On Einstein: see anonymous , squire ; see also boltzmann , koestler , sayings Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. Science, Philosophy and Religion: a Symposium (1941) ch. 13 E = mc 2…
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