Junk

Kayla Carmon

Coach Mikell

English III

May 2012

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was born March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Germany. Einstein’s parents were middle-classed Jews. His father, Hermann Einstein, was originally a featherbed salesman but later became a successful running an electrochemical factory. His mother, Pauline Einstein, was a normal housewife. Albert had one sister, Maja, who was two years younger than him.

Einstein would always say that two “wonders” deeply affect his early childhood years. The first was when he was five years old. Albert was greatly mystified that invisible forces could deflect the needle. This would lead to a lifelong fascination with invisible forces. The second was when he was 12 years old when he discovered the book of geometry. Albert called it his “scared little geometry book.”

Albert became very religious at the age of 12. This began to change once he started reading science books that contradicted his religious beliefs. This challenge to established authority left a deep and lasting impression. Einstein often felt out of place with the schools system which lacked creativity and originality.

A young medical student by the name of Max Talmud became Albert’s informal tutor. Max introduced Albert to higher levels of mathematics and philosophy. Talmud had earlier introduced Einstein to a book called, Naturwissenschaftliche Volksbucher (1867–68; Popular Books on Physical Science), by Aaron Bernstein. The book talked about riding alongside electricity that was traveling inside a telephone pole. This book got Einstein’s mind working. Albert often asked himself ‘What would a light beam look like if you could run alongside it? If light were a wave, then the light beam should appear stationary, like a frozen wave.’

Einstein dropped out of high school. His parents realized that he could apply directly to the Eidgenssische Polytechnische Schule without a high school diploma if he passed its stiff entrance examinations....