Jun 23, 2017
This course is very comprehensive and well prepared material for understanding the Special Theory of Relativity. Larry (the instructor) is very expert and has broad knowledge in explaining the course.
Dec 09, 2019
Almost anyone can learn about the special theory of relativity from these lectures. I actually can't believe that I studied from a professor who teaches in the USA and in so simple way. I am grateful.
by Alvaro W
•Oct 21, 2017
Thank you to Dr. Randles for teaching us this excellent course, for preparing all the lessons in a simple manner, he makes us see the theory easy. And thank you for teaching us not only the scientist, but also the human person through Einstein quotes.
Try to become not a person of success, but try rather to become a person of value
by art g
•Jul 01, 2017
great course. clear lectures which elucidate the concepts.
by Leo K
•Mar 12, 2017
Excellent introduction to the Special Theory of Relativity: steady pace, lucid explanations and thorough comprehension.
by Matthew G
•Aug 23, 2017
This course provides a clear and accessible introduction to a theory that can otherwise be difficult to grasp.
by Sivasankaran
•Jun 23, 2017
Fully Packed with knowledge !!. Best Course for First year students in physics and general people who are interested in physics and with no background in math.
by Eric F V S
•Jul 03, 2017
This course has been very enriching in terms of personal knowledge, thank you! My goal was to learn, regardless of its practical usefulness
by Victoria L
•Oct 13, 2017
Superb teaching.
by Güneş E
•Oct 16, 2017
Easily one of the most informative courses of my life. Of course the information given was not new, but the details and L. R. Lagerstrom were really cool. I get what I expected and more/
by Steve B
•Jan 04, 2017
A enjoyable and well laid out course, mathematics level: high school, some rigorous algebraic proofs though not essential to pass.
by Malavika S
•Feb 12, 2017
Very well paced, with very clear explanations and interesting insights.
by Sam
•May 13, 2017
Thank you Professor, your lecture is very interesting, and it is quite helpful to learn physics with a little history. I found that there are some mistakes in the subtitle, but it is not significant and I think I can understand it according to the context. Really impressive course, I hope I can see you in other courses.
by sushantedx
•Aug 12, 2017
Amazing . time is suspect
by Punya P
•Feb 21, 2017
i love this
by Vardhan S
•Feb 08, 2017
Exceptional
by sueg
•Dec 21, 2016
This course is really brilliant, Professor Lagerstrom ( I hope I have spelt the name correctly ) really knows the subject, a superb lecturer.
by Justin L
•Apr 25, 2017
This course was truly an excellent way to learn about Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. The content covered most of the main aspects of Special Relativity, and the instructor did a top notch job of explaining how the various aspects of the theory are derived and many implications of the Theory. The maths involved in this course is no more than high-school level algebra with a few tricks, and as such the course should be within most people's reach with a bit of effort. Mind you, the concepts themselves are somewhat counter-intuitive, so be prepared to think a lot about the implications. However, all that being said, I highly recommend this course! It is a very well presented and accessible way to start to grasp Einstein's most profound work in his "miracle year" of 1905.
by JAMES L D
•Jan 24, 2017
A great exercise in thinking.
by Dalius G
•May 03, 2018
Simple, objective, informative. Amazing course, thanks Coursera !
by Marta F
•Jul 21, 2017
Brilliant. Fantastic teacher. And I'm not good at maths at all but I came away with quite a respectable understanding of the underlying notions of Special Relativity which is exactly what I was looking for.
by Ben P
•Feb 16, 2017
This fascinating course presented by a historian of science covers not just the basics of special relativity but the historical context as well. The lecturer starts off each week with some Einstein quotes and goes to great depths to explain the basic concepts at a level that is accessible to students with minimal experience of maths and physics. The concepts are firmly drilled in with plenty of optional quizzes after each mini-topic, and a summary video at the end of each week. The lectures are long but anyone short on time has the option to go straight to the weekly summary/quiz, and/or play videos at up to 2x speed (especially in weeks 2 and 3).
The main highlight for me was the explanation of the famous Twins Paradox and other related paradoxes which are resolved by understanding frames of reference and the relativity of simultaneity. Another bonus was an explanation of the bending of light by gravity through a simple thought experiment involving an accelerated elevator.
Some important topics not covered in the course, or only hinted at, are: treatment of accelerated reference frames (required to derive the relativistic rocket equations), relativistic momentum and kinetic energy (required to calculate the rocket fuel required) and relativistic energy (used to derive Einstein's mass-energy equivalence formula).
Overall I highly recommend the course to anyone with the time and inclination.
by Nathalie V
•Jun 18, 2017
Very interesting, very well explained.
by Ricardo F P F
•Apr 24, 2017
Top, easy to understand
by Alexandria B
•Mar 01, 2017
100% recommend for anyone who enjoys the fun implications of higher-level math!
by Cris P
•Mar 04, 2017
Excellent course. Prof. Lagerstrom provided detailed explanation regarding the special theory of relativity in a very simple and understanding manner. I hope to attend more courses from the good professor soon. Thank you for sharing your knowledge to us, sir. Kudos.
by Marius A
•Jun 26, 2017
Very well put together course, recommended to everyone who want to understand the basic relativistic concepts. Thank you professor L. R. Lagerstrom for doing such a wonderful job.