🌟 A Truly Beautiful Mind – Summary, Notes & Q/A
📖 Introduction
Albert Einstein is remembered as one of the world’s greatest scientists, but his mind was not only filled with scientific brilliance. His compassion, humanity, and vision for peace made him a truly beautiful mind.
🧒 Early Life
Born on 14 March 1879 in Ulm, Germany.
Could not speak until the age of two-and-a-half.
Teachers thought he was slow and dull.
Loved mechanical toys and had a curious nature.
🎓 Education & Struggles
Disliked the strict school system in Munich.
Moved to Switzerland, where education was more liberal.
Studied at the University in Zurich.
Married Mileva Maric, a fellow student.
💡 Scientific Achievements
Worked at the patent office in Bern.
Published the Special Theory of Relativity (1905) – famous equation E = mc².
Won the Nobel Prize in Physics (1921) for discovering the photoelectric effect.
🌈 NCERT Solutions – A Truly Beautiful Mind
Q1. Here are some headings for paragraphs in the text. Match them with the paragraphs.
- Einstein’s education in Munich
- Einstein’s schooling in Switzerland
- Einstein’s special interest in physics
- Einstein’s work at the patent office
- Marriage and personal life
Answer:
1 → (ii) Einstein’s education in Munich
2 → (iii) Einstein’s schooling in Switzerland
3 → (iv) Einstein’s special interest in physics
4 → (v) Einstein’s work at the patent office
5 → (vi) Marriage and personal life
Q4. How did Einstein react to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Answer: He was deeply shaken and saddened. He dedicated his life thereafter to campaigning for peace and disarmament.
Q5. Why is Einstein called a “world citizen”?
Answer: Because he used his fame and intellect not just for science but for the betterment of humanity – peace, democracy, and equality across the world.
🌟 Extra 20 Short Question & Answers
- When and where was Einstein born? – On 14 March 1879 in Ulm, Germany.
- When did Einstein start speaking? – At the age of 2½ years.
- What kind of toys fascinated young Einstein? – Mechanical toys.
- Why did Einstein dislike school in Munich? – It was strict and rigid.
- Where did Einstein continue his higher education? – Switzerland.
- What was his wife’s name? – Mileva Maric.
- Where did Einstein work after graduation? – At the Patent Office in Bern.
- What year did he publish the Special Theory of Relativity? – 1905.
- What is Einstein’s most famous equation? – E = mc².
- For what discovery did Einstein win the Nobel Prize? – Photoelectric effect.
- When did he receive the Nobel Prize? – 1921.
- What did Einstein warn Roosevelt about? – That Germany might build an atom bomb.
- Which country dropped atom bombs on Japan? – The USA.
- Which Japanese cities were bombed? – Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- How did Einstein feel about nuclear weapons? – He opposed them strongly.
- What values made Einstein’s mind “beautiful”? – Humanity, peace, and equality.
- What did Einstein advocate apart from science? – Democracy and peace.
- What was the nickname of his drawer in the patent office? – “Bureau of Theoretical Physics.”
- What shows that Einstein was not just a scientist but also a humanitarian? – His campaigns for peace and equality.
- Why is the lesson titled “A Truly Beautiful Mind”? – Because Einstein combined intelligence with compassion.