Relativity

The Theory That changed the World

What is relativity?

• The theory of relativity is actually two theories that Albert Einstein came up with in the early 1900s. One is called "special" relativity and the other is called "general" relativity

Special Relativity• There are two main ideas that make up Einstein's

theory of special relativity. 

1. The principal of relativity: it is impossible to determine whether or not you are moving, in absence of a force all objects will continue to move in same speed and direction

2. 2. The principal of the speed of light: The speed of light is always the same for all observers

Special relativity- continued• All measurements are relative, include time and speed. In

other words, time and speed are relative depend on where you measure them. Distance and speed are relative too. If you are in a car and another car whizzes past you, for instance, the slower you travel the faster the other car seems to move

• As things travel faster, they seem to shrink and get heavier. Their time stretches too-that is, their clocks run slower

General relativity

• This theory shows gravity is acceleration (speed)-gravity and acceleration are the same. Gravity is not a force but acceleration that demonstrates itself by warping space-time

• Gravity works by bending space and time. Matter/mass tells space how to move and space tells matter/mass how to move

General Relativity-ContinuedThink of empty space like a rubbersheet/trampoline. A heavy object like the sun will actually bend the sheet. The heaver the object is the more the sheet (space-time) is bent. If you now roll a lighter object, a planet along the sheet in straight line the curvature of space time, the curve will allow the planet to orbit the heavy object.