NathanB

The theory of relativity is an idea that time is relevant. Einstein's observation was that the passage of time, which everyone had always simply assumed is constant and immutable, is not: it's the speed of light that is. (Aida Edemariam) Everything is relevant to where you are observing and that the only thing constant is the speed of light. Galileo used a kind of relativity to explain why we're not all swept off the earth as it rotates. Imagine a moving ship, he said; within that ship, everything functions as though you're on dry land(Aida Edemariam) Everything is as it would appear normally on the ship. But if someone were to look over at the ship from someplace off the ship everything would appear to be moving faster.

The theory of relativity can also explain time travel, and the aging process. Because time is relative to where you are observing when you are moving off the earth in say an airplane you would be faster than normal. compared to being on earth. 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.(slac) When you are moving faster you are actually decaying slower. which would be making you younger in relativity to someone else. And if you could move fast enough, such as the speed of light you would be able to become younger by almost stopping the decaying process for a period of time. Einstein realized that the speed of light—about 186,000 miles per second—is constant whether it comes from a moving source such as a speeding car's headlights or an unmoving source such as a ceiling light. But here's the catch: The speed of light is constant only in a vacuum, a place where there's no matter, like the vast emptiness of space. Here on Earth, the speed of light can slow down.—//Karen Hartley So although the speed of light is a constant it isn't always constant. So if you were to move at the speed of light. the speed of light would be traveling twice as fast as you. which is the start to explain time travel.//

And this is the best i can describe the theory of relativity. something so complex and cannot even be proven or dis proven is a difficult subject to grasp. And the the theory is used to describe many different situations around us. as well as the general theory only being party of the special theory of relativity.

Works Cited Edemariam, Aida. "Relativity for dummies | Education | The Guardian ." __Latest news, sport, business, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk__. 6 Jan. 2005. 5 Feb. 2009 .

This website gives some backround information on Albert Eintstein's early life and how he developed into coming up with the theory of relativity. It also describes the theory of relativity in an easy to understand way. The site is credible because it comes from a news source although they do not cite any of their information. It would help if they had some pictures to go along with their description.

"Theory: Special Relativity (SLAC VVC)." __SLAC Public Website Server__. 31 Oct. 2008. 5 Feb. 2009 .

The site shows information about momentum, gama, and engergy. As well as information on the theory of reletivity. This is a credible website because its from a well known school, Stanford.