PaigeEinsteinBigIdea

Einstein's Big Idea by Paige Schneider 5/6/10
(http://www.thebigview.com/spacetime/relativity.html) (http://www.allaboutscience.org/theory-of-relativity.htm) The big idea was also known as the special relativity theory (1905-1916). It appeared when scientists noticed that the speed of light is a constant everywhere in every direction. It refuted the idea of everyone at the time that the entire universe is based off of only one time. For objects travelling near light speed, however, the theory of relativity states that objects will move slower and shorten in length from the point of view of an observer on Earth. Einstein also derived the famous equation, //E = mc2,// which reveals the equivalence of mass and energy. The theory is divided into two parts:


 * The first is the Special Theory of Relativity. It deals with whether rest and motion are relative or absolute, and with the consequences of Einstein’s conjecture that they are relative.
 * The second is the General Theory of Relativity. It applies to particles as they accelerate, particularly due to gravitation, and acts as a radical revision of Newton’s theory, predicting important new results for fast-moving and/or very massive bodies.