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Theory of Relativity ======

The Theory of Relativity is a general theory of physics that involves "a profound analysis of time and space, leading to a generalization of physical laws, with far-reaching implications in important branches of physics and in cosmology" (Wald, Alder 1).

General Relativity- The Theory of Relativity was first introduced by Albert Einstien in 1905 and showed that Newton's three Laws of Motion were only approximately correct. It took him close to 10 years to finally complete the experiment and accept it as accurate. The Theory is valid for systems that are not accelerating and cannot be used generally when there is a gravitational field present. Einstein assumed that the speed of light remained constant in all frames of reference.

Special Relativity - "Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity describes the motion of particles moving at close to the speed of light. In fact, it gives the correct laws of motion for any particle. This doesn't mean Newton was wrong, his equations are contained within the relativistic equations. Newton's "laws" provide a very good approximate form, valid when //v// is much less than //c//. For particles moving at slow speeds (very much less than the speed of light), the differences between Einstein's laws of motion and those derived by Newton are tiny. That's why relativity doesn't play a large role in everyday life. Einstein's theory supersedes Newton's, but Newton's theory provides a very good approximation for objects moving at everyday speeds" (Relativity 1). Because few have experience with with objects moving at the speed of light, Einstein's predictions might seem strange. However, evidence shows that his work is all accurate.

"The orientation of Mercury's orbit is found to precess in space over time, as indicated in the adjacent figure (the magnitude of the effect is greatly exaggerated for purposes of illustration). This is commonly called the "precession of the perihelion", because it causes the position of the perihelion to move around the center of mass. Only part of this can be accounted for by perturbations in Newton's theory. There is an extra 43 seconds of arc per century in this precession that is predicted by the Theory of General Relativity and observed to occur (recall that a second of arc is 1/3600 of an angular degree). This effect is extremely small, but the measurements are very precise and can detect such small effects very well" (   Gravitation and the General Theory of Relativity 1).  This information gives a clear example of how the Theory of Relativity has impacted our knowledge of the solar system. We are able to determine the orientation of Mercury's orbit, and thus better understand the unique qualities of the planet. The fact that we can use this theory to derive this information is amazing, and this is only one example. "Particle processes have an intrinsic clock that determines the half-life of a decay process. However, the rate at which the clock ticks in a moving frame, as observed by a static observer, is slower than the rate of a static clock. Therefore, the half-life of a moving particles appears, to the static observer, to be increased by the factor gamma" (Relativity 1).---time This information gives a clear example of how the Theory of Relativity has allowed us to determine the haf-life of bacteria and other particles. Without the Theory, this information would be impossible to obtain.

 "Consider the gravitational field around a massive object such as the sun. In General Relativity, "gravitational field" refers to the spacetime curvature induced by a set of objects, so we're really talking about what space and time are like near the sun" (Felder 1). Black holes are objects in space that cannot emit light. "If you shined a light beam away from the black hole would you see it turn around and start rushing towards the center? No. The light would be approaching the center, but you would be approaching it even faster. From your point of view the outgoing light beam would be moving away from you at exactly the speed of light. This is a general property of GR. No matter how strange a given spacetime might be, a local observer will always see light beams moving in all directions at exactly the same speed. This is the sense in which GR preserves the special relativity rule that says nothing can move faster than light. Your coordinate speed might be faster than c, but you will never see yourself catch up to a light beam" (Felder 1).

Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity has also impacted the field of nuclear science. The development of nuclear bombs has shaped our history, from Japan to the Soviet Union. The creation of this weapon has put fear in millions of people throughout the history of out country. Now, though, a new need for advancements in nuclear science is needed: energy. Because of our limited avialibility of natural resources, nuclear energy has become a very important source of power. In the early stages of Einstein's Theory of Relativity, the idea that it would be put to use to create large amounts of power was never thought of. But he did know was the foundation of E=mc2 (energy equals mass times the speed of light squared). This equation has helped scientists cope with the massive amounts of energy emitted from nuclear reactions. Scientists then can precisely calculate the mass needed to produce the required, yet safe, amounts of energy (Possel).

Einstein's Theory of Relativity can be associated with a GPS, or global positioning system, which consists of a network of 24 satellites in orbit around the Earth. Because a GPS can determine your exact location up to 5 meters in 10-15 seconds, a great deal of precision is needed. In order to obtain this precision, Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity is used. "Because an observer on the ground sees the satellites in motion relative to them, Special Relativity predicts that we should see their clocks ticking more slowly. Special Relativity predicts that the on-board atomic clocks on the satellites should fall behind clocks on the ground by about 7 microseconds per day because of the slower ticking rate due to the time dilation effect of their relative motion" ( Real-World Relativity: The GPS Navigation System 1).

Without Einstein's invention of the Theory of Relativity, our world would be a different place. We wouldn't have as great an understanding of the world around us, and we would not be able to develop the technology we have today. Other theories and calculations were and continue to be derived from this theory, and we become better educated about our world. I believe this theory will continue to impact our planet even more, through the development of future ideas and inventions. "Theory: Special Relativity (SLAC VVC)." __SLAC Public Website Server__. 31 Oct. 2008. 27 Jan. 2009 .
 * __Works Cited__**

//**The article "Special Relativity" is a well written article (web page) composed by The National Accelerator Laboratory and operated by Stanford University. Information is derived from the Office of Science. The article has little, if any, bias and is very clear in the explantions and definitons of relativity. The author's main goal is to inform others unfamiliar with the subject. It is explained so that someone who knows little about the subject can easily understand the basic priciple's of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Several examples and definitions are given so that the information is easier to comprehend. The article gives background information on how the Theory was developed and explains how the Theory relates to our everyday activites. The article is very recent, written only 3 months ago, making all information up-to-date. It is very useful to me because it provides basic definitions and information that give me a better understanding of the Theory of Relativity.**//

Pogge, Richard. "GPS and Relativity." __The Ohio State University Department of Astronomy__. 15 Dec. 2004. 27 Jan. 2009 .


 * //This web page written by a qualified professor at the Ohio State University Department of Astronomy provides detailed, yet easily understandable facts about how satellites use the theory of relativity. Aimed towards anyone wanting to know how satellites incorporate relativity while in orbit, this site a reliable source from only a few years ago//. The site's description of the GPS provides a clear, detailed explanation of how and why a GPS is related to Einstein's Theory of Relativity.**

Robert H. Wald, Ronald J. Alder, "Relativity", in AccessScience@McGraw-Hill, [|http://www.accessscience.com], DOI 10. 1036/1097-8542.580100.


 * //This quote was given to me by our Librarian, and is from the reliable source of __accessscince__. Robert Wald and Ronald Alder are qualified writers who have a strong understanding of the subject. Einstein's Theory of Relativity is explained a clear, detailed way that makes it easy for the common reader to understand. All information given is up-to-date.//**

Felder, Gary. "General Relativity: Einstein: Physics." __NC State: WWW4 Server__. 27 Jan. 2009 <http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/kenny/papers/gr1.html>.

**//This is a reliable, educational site written by Gary Felder for the use of college students. All information is cited and uncommon words are given with easy-to-understand definitons. There is no bias in the article and definitions and explinations are easy to understand. Each stage of the Theory of Relativty is explained in great detail, and many examples are given. Information is up to date, written as recently as 2003. The information given about the Theory of Relativity is more unique than information on other sites, and example are not as common.//**

"Gravitation and the Theory of Relativity." __Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity__. 25 Jan. 2009 <csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/cosmology/gravity.html>.


 * //This site an up-to-date, reliable and educational source with information geared towards students. Any unfamiliar term is linked to clear definiton so it is easier for the reader to understand. Information is cited and clear. The Theory of Relativity is explained a bit differently than other sites, and gives new and unique examples that are hard to find in other places.//**

Possel, Markus. "From E=mc^2; to the atomic bomb." __Einstein Online__. 3 Aug. 2007. 27 Jan. 2009 http://www.einstein-online.info/en/spotlights/atombombe/index.html>.

//**This stie has complicated details on how Einstein's classic equation affected the creation of nuclear energy. However, difficult concepts are utilized within the text, directing it for a higher level. The averagre reader would probably understand the main point on how the equation is used as a tool to calculate nuclear energy. Up to date and well written, this site contains valuable information on how Einstein's helped create the energy of the future.**//

" Google Image Result for http://mesikammen.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/nuclear-bomb-badger350.jpg." __Google Image Search__. 28 Jan. 2009 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://mesikammen.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/nuclear-bomb-badger350.jpg&imgrefurl=http://mesikammen.wordpress.com/2008/01/13/pre-emptive-nukyalar-strike-to-iran/&usg=__AY6BTqbV438Hi-7s0FT7zDC4CTA=&h=295&w=350&sz=70&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=lob-Fj29n83L4M:&tbnh=101&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnuclear%2Bbomb%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den>.

//**This site provides a clear example of a nuclear explosion, which I used as in my discription of Einstein's Theory of Relativity**.//

" Google Image Result for http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/gps-3.jpg." __Google Image Search__. 28 Jan. 2009 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/gps-3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.howstuffworks.com/gps.htm&usg=__ypJlcbsxLzrDmiuFwWml7qQpVr0=&h=266&w=400&sz=30&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=EfnFjOiZWhtn9M:&tbnh=82&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3DGPS%2BSatellite%2BConstellation%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG>.


 * //This site provides a clear example of a GPS Satellite Constellation, which I used in my discription of Einstein's Theory of Relativity.//**

" Google Image Result for http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-history/albert-einstein.jpg." __Google Image Search__. 28 Jan. 2009 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-history/albert-einstein.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-history/albert-einstein-quote.htm&usg=__qwxJekcRB-VwC3Q9XpjOnaOVsKk=&h=497&w=407&sz=54&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=jWIelBQ6WTnf9M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=106&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dalbert%2Beinstein%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den>.


 * //This site provides a clear picture of Albert Einstein, the man credited with the creation of the Theory of Relativity.//**

" Google Image Result for http://www.nmg-uk.com/blog/black-holes/Black-hole.jpg." __Google Image Search__. 28 Jan. 2009 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nmg-uk.com/blog/black-holes/Black-hole.jpg&imgrefurl=http://saij.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/chicken-or-the-egg-black-holes/&usg=__iapBW2Zc-XApaUCdSqO8003xdyA=&h=637&w=477&sz=39&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=43W5rEgWOAErzM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblack%2Bhole%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den>.


 * //This site provides a clear example of a black hole, which I used in my discription of Einstein's Theory of Relativity.//**