Watch Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity

2013
1 Season

Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity is a fascinating series of lectures from The Great Courses that explores the mysteries of gravity and how it shapes our universe. Presented by Dr. Benjamin Schumacher, a theoretical physicist at Kenyon College, the course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the science of gravity while also delving into some of the most intriguing questions about the nature of space and time.

Over the course of 24 lectures, viewers are taken on a journey through the history of gravity, from the early ideas of Aristotle and Galileo to the groundbreaking theories of Newton and Einstein. Along the way, Dr. Schumacher covers a range of topics related to gravity, including gravitational waves, black holes, and the curvature of spacetime.

The lectures are designed to be accessible and engaging for people with no background in physics, making them perfect for anyone who is curious about the workings of the universe. Dr. Schumacher uses a combination of clear explanations, real-world examples, and stunning visualizations to help viewers better understand some of the more complex concepts.

One of the key themes of the course is the idea of gravity as a force of attraction that operates throughout the universe. Dr. Schumacher explains how this force affects everything from the tides to the orbits of planets, and how it can even influence the behavior of light. He also explores the impact of gravity on the structure of the universe itself, including the ways in which it has shaped the distribution of galaxies and other celestial bodies.

But the course isn't just a dry recitation of scientific facts. Dr. Schumacher is a gifted storyteller who is able to bring to life some of the most fascinating aspects of gravitational science. For instance, he describes how the observation of a distant supernova in the late 1990s led researchers to the startling conclusion that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, and how this discovery has challenged our understanding of the nature of gravity.

Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime also delves into some of the more esoteric aspects of gravitational science, including the phenomenon of black holes. Dr. Schumacher explains how these enigmatic objects form when massive stars collapse under the force of their own gravity, creating a region of spacetime from which nothing can escape. He also explores some of the strange and fascinating properties of black holes, including their role in shaping the structure of the universe and their potential as a source of energy.

Throughout the course, Dr. Schumacher challenges viewers to think deeply about the nature of space and time, and how our understanding of these concepts has evolved over time. He also emphasizes the importance of scientific inquiry, and how the process of discovering new knowledge often involves challenging long-held assumptions and beliefs.

Overall, Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity is a thought-provoking and informative series of lectures that offers a fascinating look into the science of gravity. Whether you're a science enthusiast or simply curious about the workings of the universe, this course is sure to captivate and inspire you.

Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity is a series that ran for 1 seasons (24 episodes) between August 30, 2013 and on The Great Courses

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Seasons

24. The Next Revolution

August 30, 2013

Survey the greatest unsolved problem in theoretical physics: the search for a quantum theory of gravity. Examine string theory, loop quantum gravity, and also entropic gravity, which suggests a revolutionary link with thermodynamics. Close the course with a deepened appreciation for the connection between everyday features of gravity and the most exciting questions in contemporary physics and cosmology.

23. The Force of Creation

August 30, 2013

Use a black hole to test the laws of thermodynamics, taking a deeper look at the capacity of gravity to pull matter together and increase entropy at the same time. Probe Stephen Hawking's most surprising discovery, and then learn that the same force that pulls the apple down and steers the stars in their courses is also nature's ultimate source of order and complexity.

22. Cosmic Antigravity--Inflation and Dark Energy

August 30, 2013

Using everything you've learned about gravity, investigate cosmic antigravity, starting with cosmic inflation, a phenomenon that exponentially increased the size of the universe during the big bang. Then, learn why dark matter cannot be made of ordinary protons and neutrons, and explore the recent discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, powered by a mysterious dark energy inherent in space itself.

21. Which Universe Is Ours?

August 30, 2013

Investigate what Einstein called his "greatest mistake"--his rejection of his own theory's prediction that spacetime should be dynamic and evolving. Chart the work of a group of scientists, including Alexander Friedman, Georges LemaÃ®tre, and Edwin Hubble, who advanced the realization that our universe is expanding from an apparent big bang.

20. Gravity's Horizon--Anatomy of a Black Hole

August 30, 2013

Plunge into the subject of black holes, which are massive objects that have collapsed completely under their own gravity. Learn how black holes distort spacetime and explore the supermassive black holes that lie at the hearts of galaxies. Then ask: Are there such things as micro-black holes?

19. Gravitomagnetism and Gravitational Waves

August 30, 2013

The general theory of relativity predicts new phenomena of gravity analogous to those of electromagnetism. Discover how ultra-sensitive experiments have detected the gravitomagnetism of the Earth, and follow the search for elusive gravitational waves that travel through space.

18. Light in Curved Spacetime

August 30, 2013

See how Einstein's general theory of relativity predicts the bending of light in a gravitational field, famously confirmed in 1919 by the British scientist Arthur Eddington. Learn how this phenomenon creates natural gravitational lenses--and how the bending of light reveals invisible matter in deep space.

17. Matter Tells Spacetime How to Curve

August 30, 2013

The curvature of spacetime depends upon matter--and tidal effects. In this lecture, see how ordinary tidal effects reveal a simplified form of Einstein's greatest discovery: the equation governing the curvature of spacetime by matter.

16. Spacetime Tells Matter How to Move

August 30, 2013

See how gravity affects Minkowski's spacetime geometry, discovering that motion in a gravitational field follows the straightest path in curved spacetime. The curvature in spacetime is not caused by gravity; it is gravity. This startling idea is the essence of Einstein's general theory of relativity.

15. Spacetime in Zero Gravity

August 30, 2013

In an influential interpretation of relativity, Einstein's former mathematics professor Hermann Minkowski reformulated the theory in terms of four-dimensional geometry, which he called spacetime. Learn how to plot events in this coordinate system in cases where gravity is zero.

14. The Falling Laboratory

August 30, 2013

Einstein focused on gravity in his general theory of relativity. Hear about his "happiest thought"--the realization that a man in free fall perceives gravity as zero. This simple insight resolved a mystery going all the way back to Newton and led Einstein to the startling discovery that gravity affects light and time.

13. From Forces to Fields

August 30, 2013

For the rest of the course, focus on the revolutionary view of gravitation launched by Albert Einstein. Review new ideas about fields that allowed physics to extend beyond Newtonian mechanics. Then see how Einstein modified Newton's laws and created the special theory of relativity.

12. The Billion-Year Battle

August 30, 2013

Explore the physics of stars, which are balls of gas in a billion-year battle between the inward pull of gravity and the outward pressure produced by nuclear fusion. Follow this story to its ultimate finish--the triumph of gravity in massive stars that end their lives as black holes.

11. The Million-Body Problem

August 30, 2013

Consider the problem of gravitational interactions between millions of bodies, such as the countless stars in a galaxy. Amazingly, mathematics can reveal useful information even in these complicated cases. Discover how the analysis of the motions of galaxies led to the prediction of dark matter.

10. Resonance--Surprises in the Intricate Dance

August 30, 2013

Resonance happens whenever a small periodic force produces a large effect on a periodic motion--for example, when you push a child on a swing. Learn how resonance due to gravitational interactions between three bodies can lead to amazing phenomena with planets, asteroids, and rings of planets.

9. Nudge--Perturbations of Orbits

August 30, 2013

For the next three lectures, study the effects of gravity on the motions of more than two bodies. Here, see how even very small orbital changes--small perturbations--are significant. Such effects have revealed the presence of unknown planets, both in our own solar system and around other stars.

8. What Are Tides? Earth and Beyond

August 30, 2013

Trace the origin of tides to the simple fact that gravity varies from point to point in space. This leads not just to the rise and fall of the ocean, but to the gradual slowing of Earth's rotation, Saturn's spectacular ring system, volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io, and many other phenomena.

7. Stars in Their Courses--Orbital Mechanics

August 30, 2013

Newton was the first to realize that objects could, in theory, be sent into orbit around Earth. Explore how this works in practice, using the ideas of energy and angular momentum to study how satellites, moons, planets, and stars move through space.

6. Escape Velocity, Energy, and Rotation

August 30, 2013

Begin the first of several lectures that dig deeper into Newton's laws than Newton himself was able to go. In this lecture, apply the key concepts of energy and angular momentum to study how gravity affects motion. As an example, use simple algebra to calculate the escape velocity from Earth.

5. The Art of Experiment

August 30, 2013

Learn how distances in the solar system were first determined. Then chart Henry Cavendish's historic experiment that found the value of Newton's gravitational constant. Cavendish's work allows almost everything in the universe to be weighed. Then see a confirmation of the equivalence principle, which says that gravitational and inertial mass are identical.

4. Universal Gravitation

August 30, 2013

See how Newton was able to finish Kepler's revolution by formulating the law of universal gravitation, which says that every object exerts an attractive force on every other object. Also explore Newton's related discovery of the three laws of motion, which underlie the science of mechanics.

3. Revolution in the Heavens

August 30, 2013

Drawing on ideas and observations of Nicolaus Copernicus and Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler achieved a great insight about gravity by discovering three laws of planetary motion, relating to the mathematics of orbits. The cause of planetary motion, he determined, must lie in the sun.

2. Free Fall and Inertia

August 30, 2013

Review three great discoveries by the "grandfather" of gravity research, Galileo Galilei. His most famous experiment may never have happened, but his principle of inertia, law of free fall, and principle of relativity are the basis for everything that comes later in the science of gravity--including key breakthroughs by Einstein.

1. The Strangest Force

August 30, 2013

Begin your exploration of gravity with Isaac Newton and the famous story of the apple. Why was it such a breakthrough to connect a falling apple with the faraway moon? Review the essential characteristics of gravity and learn why small asteroids and large planets have such different shapes.

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Where to Watch Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity

Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Black Holes, Tides, and Curved Spacetime: Understanding Gravity on demand at Apple TV Channels, Amazon Prime, Amazon and Hoopla.