Awesome Physics Teacher Dan Burns Explains Gravity In A Way Anyone Can Understand (VIDEO)

General relativity, the geometric theory of gravity developed by Albert Einstein in the early 1900's, is today considered one of the twin pillars of modern physics. Along with quantum mechanics, it is fundamental to our understanding of the universe.

Yet despite its importance, general relativity doesn't always get the classroom attention it deserves.

"Is general relativity in the state standards? No. Probably the crowning achievement of science not in the state standards," Dan Burns, a physics teacher at Los Gatos High School in California, says in the video above. But that didn't stop Burns from coming up with an ingenious demonstration to help students understand concepts that are notoriously tricky. link

It is awesome when you have a teacher that does more than they have to. I had just a handful in my life and I remember them all well. The teacher explains the cost of the contraption which I think we sometimes forget that those things come out of their pocket. Seems a shame it isn't even in the state standards. Anyway I applaud teachers like him.

This video has been doing the rounds on the internet for a couple of weeks now. I respect his ability to teach the students important concepts with practical and hands on methods, but I still don't really like this 2D representation of something which is in reality a 3D phenomena. Space is not actually like a flat sheet as this demonstration would imply, and I think it's very misleading to imagine space-time as a flat 2D sheet. But it's good to get the general idea across to the students I guess.

If the universe is torus shaped does that mean that planets spin backwards like they do in Australia in other parts?

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


Paying attention to the video, one would have gathered the man doing the demonstration was giving the demonstration to OTHER EDUCATORS.

This demonstration was for other teachers, likely educators on the grade school and highschool level.

These educators will in turn be introducing a concept, an introductory concept of space-time to their students.

Of course, those students continuing their educations on the University Level, those students who take a shine to the Sciences, they'll go the step further to learn all about dimensionality.

Further, you mention 3D space, which, in itself is ALSO incorrect in consideration that we're talking about Space-Time. It's called Space-Time for a reason and encompasses more than just 3D.
Beyond that, well, that's what University level Education is all about.

Thus, in that respect, these things can be taken in orders of magnitudes of complexity in understanding and teaching.
As a teaching tool on an Introductory Level, demonstrating the elasticity of "flat" Space-Time in the effects of Mass warping that Space-Time on a 2D model is sufficient to get the point across.

reply to post by boncho

torus shaped

Stupid Boncho, this isn't astrology class.

Can someone now explain what space time is? Not being a smartass, just a dumb one.

Put a perpetual motion gyroscope in there & let me know what happens?

I prefer the apple falling on Newton's head
'What goes up must come down.'

reply to post by AliceBleachWhite

Further, you mention 3D space, which, in itself is ALSO incorrect in consideration that we're talking about Space-Time.

That's a fair point, but I don't really think you need to bring in the 4th dimension of time in order to explain how gravity works. I could be wrong though, the whole idea of space-time is very confusing to my mind and I don't completely buy into it personally.

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


That's understandable and in such respects, just as more than 3 Dimensions confuse you, some folk attempting to picture 3D "flat" space and these same concepts, are just as easily confused.

Thus, we have a simple 2D model which can demonstrate something on a level many can understand without having to concern themselves with the higher orders of magnitudes of complexity that go into the whole thing.

Domo1
reply to post by boncho

 

torus shaped

Stupid Boncho, this isn't astrology class.

Can someone now explain what space time is? Not being a smartass, just a dumb one.

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Awesome! Thanks for the share, i learnt something I love it how he made something so complex to understand, seem simple, Now that's an educator not a repeater.

Thank you so much.

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