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//The Theory of Relativity // 

Today in society, Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity is still undergoing some amounts of research in order to expand; however, our society has immensely changed due to his theory. We have accepted his ideas such as a new view of the gravitational field, the concept of simultaneity, and the consistency of the speed or light.  -Theory of relativity proposed by Albert Einstein in 1905, stating that the principle of relativity was a fundamental property of the universe. (NASA Relativity) - The theory of relativity is required whenever we study objects that are either (a) moving in a strong gravitational field **,** or (b**)** moving near the speed of light **.** -Einstein suggested that radio waves, which contradicted this principle of relativity, were correct, whereas Newton's laws could possibly be incorrect. -Einstein's general theory and special theory of relativity explain basic concepts of space, time, matter, and energy. The Special Theory of Relativity describes objects moving at speeds close to the speed of light, whereas the general theory of relativity describes gravitational forces in terms of the curvature in space caused by mass. (NASA Relativity) -Einstein's idea is now universally accepted, although it wasn't a century ago when proposed. - According to the principle of equivalence, an object's gravitational mass equals its inertial mass. Einstein said matter can turn into energy and energy can turn into matter. His theory influenced the impact on daily life, philosophy, and society.
 * Facts about Einstein's Theory of Relativity:**


 * The Gravitational Field in a new perspective:**

According to Einstein, "the law governing the properties of the gravitational field in space must be a perfect definite one, in order correctly to represent the diminution of gravitational action with the distance from operative bodies" (Einstein). Bodies that move with the gravitational field as its only influence will receive an acceleration, which does not depend on the material or on the physical state of the body. If gravitation is the cause of acceleration, then the force is equal to the gravitational mass multiplied by the intensity of the gravitational field. (Theory: Special Relativity)  How does Relativity affect society? One major aspect of society that is affected by the Theory of Relativity is traveling. This picture graphically displays someone who is traveling from Ithaca, New York, to Rome, Italy. The red arrow represents the path in which they should take, also the quickest path, while the blue arrow represents the path that he or she will end up taking due to Einstein's predicted Theory of Relativity. This happens because the Earth is round, however when one tries to represent it on a two-dimensional map, the earth has to be flattened out, messing things up as well and contorting the proportions of the Earth. Albert Einstein strongly believed that massive objects, like the Earth, time, and space, are curved. Therefore, Einstein believed that gravity was capable of bending light, and his many theories about the curvature of space and time as well and the bending of light have been recently proven to be true by various scientists in modern-day society.



 <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">“According to Einstein, the **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">same thing ** happens near a massive object, only the curvature happens to something that has four dimensions (the space we live in plus one dimension of time) rather than two dimensions (the surface of the Earth). Space and time near a massive object are "curved," but we are unable to perceive this directly since we are limited to seeing things in three dimensions.” (Curious about Astronomy)
 * Consistency of the speed of light:**

Einstein developed special relativity in response to a simple problem faced by physicists of his day. In the 19th century, physicists interpreted the laws of electromagnetism to require a "preferred reference frame" for the universe, one in which light traveled. In the 1880’s two scientists, Albert Michelson and Edward Morley showed something remarkable - the ether didn't seem to exist at all! As the Earth moves around the Sun, its direction changes, so its speed with respect to the ether should also change. In the 19th century, physicists interpreted the laws of electromagnetism to require a "preferred reference frame" for the universe, one in which light traveled. "There was a very complicated solution that said it works correctly from any reference frame you choose - none is more preferred than any other, and the speeds at which different reference frames move with respect to each other are truly //relative//, as opposed to absolute." (Curious about Astronomy) But Einstein had a theory and an explanation for this. He simply accepted them at face value and asked what the consequences would be if light really did behave in such a bizarre way. Having produced this theory it lead to more powerful insights, among them the equivalence of mass and energy (expressed by the famous formula E=mc2). (NASA Relativity)

Overall, our society today definitely takes Einstein's Theory of Relativity into account. Although various research is still being done in order to expand his theory, for the most part, the theory still holds a strong current status. Many politicians and philosophers used Einstein's theory in order to expand their own theories and also to create new ones. Also, Einstein used his theory to persuade the society to look at life from a completely different perspective due to the fact that the Theory of Relativity was such a solid and excellent idea, that it would completely change society.

Works Cited: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">"Curious About Astronomy? The Theory of Relativity." __Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer__. 25 Sep. 2002. 5 Feb. 2009 <http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/relativity.php>.

This informative website geared towards students allows the student to ask questions about the theory of relativity directly to a professor from Cornell University, who will then answer the question in terms simple enough for a student to understand. Great exmaples are provided, and so are applications of the theory of relativity as they pertain to our society, so this website was easy to relate to. It was very unbiased and credible.

"NASA - Relativity." __NASA - Home__. 5 Feb. 2009 <http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/relativity_worldbook.html>.

This site explains Newton’s theory and Einstein’s theory. It shows the different theories that Einstein proposed. I think that this is one of the best sites because it really explains everything in depth.

"Theory: Special Relativity (SLAC VVC)." __SLAC Public Website Server__. 31 Oct. 2008. 5 Feb. 2009 <http://www2.slac.stanford.edu/vvc/theory/relativity.html>.

This site really explained the theory of relativity by stating the differnt theories. It explained momentum and the speed of light. Also how energy and mass are interchangeable. I thought that this was a credible site because there was no biased option.