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General relativity may be the biggest leap of the scientific imagination in history.
 * (as stated on the NOVA website, general relativity has opened many doors in the scientific community.)**

Explaining a complex subject like the Theory of Relativity to middleschoolers can be a challenge. The simplest way to explain the subject is to break it into parts. Albert Einstein's (//German-born scientist//) ideas, explanation of the formulas, and how the theory is manifested are all key points that a middleschooler would need for understanding of the Theory of Relativity.
 * (above, Albert Einstein, the man behind the Theory of Relativity)**

Einstein's Theory of Relativity can be summed up into **E=MC2**. His ideas on the subject have a great deal to due with gravity and time dilation. The German born scientist developed this theory over many years of work. His General Theory (related to time and space), the Special Theory (describes the motion of particles moving at close to the speed of light), and all the mathematics that come along with them are only two of the components that make the theories more complex to grasp. These ideas are what set Einstein apart from Newton and Gallileo. General relativity was the first theory involving gravity since Isaac Newton's theories more than 250 years earlier. The Theory itself seems complicated, but learning more about the theory can do a good job of watering it down for the individual seeking knowledge on the subject. In physics, this formula is important to discover what E (energy) is all about. (Alan Lightman)

**
 * (below: Einstein's Theory of Relativity is used in the study of Black Holes in space.)

Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity describes the motion of particles moving at close to the speed of light. This is the energy that the formula is for finding.(Theory: Special Relativity) Infact, Einstein's theory is based on simply two statements. These statements are:
 * 1) The laws of physics are the same in any non moving frame of reference. ( (Theory: Special Relativity)
 * 2) The speed of light is the same for all observers, no matter what their relative speeds.

Einstein's theory proved how momentum and energy must be refined, and how quantities such as length and time must change from one observer to another in order to get virtually exact results for all physical quantities. (Theory: Special Relativity)

Still, how the theory is manifested is arguably the component that helps one understand how exactly the formula works. Because most people have little or no experience with objects moving at speeds even remotely near the speed of light, Einstein's predictions may seem far-fetched. However, many years of experiments have thoroughly tested and proven Einstein's theory, and shown that it fits all results to date.

The Theory of Relativity is most commonly known by Einstein's formula, E=MC2. However, one must also use another formula to find momentum, mass, and velocity : (in the equation**, //c//** is the **speed of light**, and //**v**// is the **speed** **of the object** in question)
 * **P= M x V**
 * **P**= momentum
 * **M**= mass
 * **V**= velocity
 * once you have found the momentum, mass, and velocity, you have another piece to the puzzle of E=MC2. However, when speed becomes relativistic, we have to modify this definition by using the formula: //**p = gamma (mv)** (//NOVA)
 * [[image:http://www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc/theory/mathfigs/eq-gamma.gif width="193" height="70" caption="Equation relating speed of light, speed of object and constant, gamma"]](right: the equation for //gamma//)**

Still, that is not the information to the actual E=MC2 formula. In order to use the formula correctly, one must find these variables before using a formula:
 * **momentum:** the product of mass and velocity
 * **energy:** Derived by Einstein, the relationship //E = mc2//. This tells us the energy corresponding to a mass m at rest.
 * **understanding "half-life":** the decay process
 * **time dilation**: how long the decay process takes in a "half-life"
 * **understanding "length contraction":** how much one travels in the frame of reference.

So, while measuring how fast objects are moving while one is stationary is studying relativity. It is what Einstein created the formula for. For better understanding of how the Earth itself plays a huge role in how fast and in what directions objects move in.
 * (beneath this caption is a diagram of how one would graph the process of a "half life.")**

In conclusion, once one has gathered all of the information needed for understanding relativity, the understanding will fall into place. Having the knowledge of Einstein's ideas, what the formulas mean and how they work, and the manifestation of the formulas will create ease when on the topic of the Theory of Relativity. For all middleschoolers, or simply anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Einstein's theory, this information will surely help you understand the concept, pain-free.


 * Works Cited:**

Lightman, Alan. "NOVA | Einstein's Big Idea | Relativity (Lightman Essay) | PBS." __PBS__. 5 Feb. 2009 .
 * This PBS website gives plenty of information on the basis of Einstein's theory. It gives background information prior to explaining the theory. Upon searching the website, one can find a great deal on many aspects of this topic. The credentials of the website are the facts that the site was created through the PBS organization. And finally, there is a note on the bottom of the web page that states:
 * "Note: This feature originally appeared on NOVA's "Einstein Revealed" Web site, which has been subsumed into the "Einstein's Big Idea" Web site.

"Theory: Special Relativity (SLAC VVC)." __SLAC Public Website Server__. 31 Oct. 2008. 5 Feb. 2009 .
 * On this website, one can find plenty of information on Einstein's theory of relativity. The information is written so that most everyone can understand. One will learn the formulas and how/ why they're used. The credibility of this website comes from the fact it's created by Stanford University. It's also connected with the Office of Science.