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 * The Theory of Relativity **

As long as there have been people, there were scientists who have tried to understand the world in which we live.Throughout the years, the ideas of space, movement, and time have fascinated people throughout the centuries. The inception of the theory of relativity began   long before the well known e=mc^2 determined by Einstein in the early 1900's. It was instead started with another well known contributor of the field of physics, Sir Issac Newton. Newton stated that time was universal and absolute. To many this statement sounds simple enough. Well, this simple statement spiraled into one of the greatest debates of the scientific community that would continue for the many centuries to come. Modern scientists have made great strides in the field pertaining to the theory of relativity which still proves to be an important topic in contempor ary science.

In the years that followed the Michaelson-Morley experiment attempted to explain Newton's statement by preforming an experiment that state the speed of the Earth through the an ether wind was zero. This experiment showed that there is no need for any ether at all, and it the speed of light in vacuum was independent of the speed of an observer. However, this experiment was preformed at a time where technology was limited and material scarce, because of this their results remained controversial and ill recieved by many. Despite this reception, Michaelson was still able to win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1907.

The major development occured in 1905 and it is the one that is most known today. Famous Russian scientist Albert Einstein published a set of reports that eventually lead up to his famous equation e=mc^2. Einstein was able to make preliminary predictions about how a ray of light from a distant star, passing near the Sun, would appear to be attracted, or bent slightly, in the direction of the Sun's mass.

Even though the inception of the theory of relativity began nearly four centuries ago effects the theory of relativity has had on modern science proves that it remains a fairly modern idea.

** The basis of the theory of relativity include the following general statements:
 * [[image:Twin_Paradox.gif width="144" height="548" align="left" caption="The twin paradox is a signficant part of the theory of relativity. Stating that time goes slower in higher graviational fields"]]The Theory of Relativity in a Few General Statements

-The speed of light in vacuum was independent of the speed of an observer

-Two events, simultaneous for some observer, may not be simultaneous for another observer if the observers are in relative motion.

-Energy and mass are equivalent and transmutable (the basis of the e=mc^2 equation)

-Time goes more slowly in higher gravitational fields.

-Rays of light bend in the prescence of a gravitational field ** The Theory of Relativity: The Modern Applications ** The Theory of Relativity is an extremely helpful tool in the contemporary field of science. At speeds close to the speed of light in vacuum //c// relativistic effects become important to consider. Such speeds are normally not encountered in everyday life. However, special relativity is used by scientists when doing calculations in, e.g., particle kinematics, since the particles often have speeds close to the speed of light in vacuum. Also in space physics, special relativity is an important tool. One of the most practical everyday uses of the theory of relativity is the functionality of GPS mechanisms. GPS's range from complex ones used by the military to the common ones found in many cars, but they all serve the same purpose, to guide with precision and accuracy. The current GPS configuration consists of a network of 24 satellites in high orbits around the Earth. Each satellite in the GPS constellation orbits at an altitude of about 20,000 km from the ground, and has an orbital speed of about 14,000 km/hour. To achieve the level of precision to give commands at appropriates times, GPS systems must be set to an accuracy of 20-30 nanoseconds! However, because these satellites are constantly moving the theory of relativity must play a crucial role. A prediction of General Relativity is that clocks closer to a massive object will seem to tick more slowly than those located further away. Because of this satellites actually seem to be moving faster than they really are! That's how they maintain their 45 nanosecond precision!

Though science has come a long way since Einstein's early 1900 discoveries there is still a lot to learn about the theory of relativity. However, one of the most significant breakthroughs of the modern science era is that regarding the current validity of the theory itself. Many scientists, though accepting of Einstein's theory, are attempting to actually prove his equations with accurate experiments. This proves extremely difficulty though due to the debate in regards of the space time continuum. The race continues to see which harbinger in physics will be able to utilize modern science to test the theory's validity for much stronger gravitational fields than has been possible to date.

**The Theory of Relativity in the Future** The Theory of Relativity is one of the most heavily debated scientific topics currently circulating in the physics community, however, one thing remains painfully obvious, this theory still comprises of a major component of scientific research today. Affecting almost everyday things like GPS systems there is no doubt that people will be able to find more practical uses for the theory of relativity in the future!

Works Cited "Curious About Astronomy? The Theory of Relativity." __Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer__. 7 Feb. 2009 . This page gave me a lot of diagrams to work with that better explained the theory of relativity. Used this site for information regarding GPS systems.

Educational Games." __Nobelprize.org__. 7 Feb. 2009 . Site key for going back to the basics and learning the general idea of the Theory of Relativity. There is a timeline as well as seperate links that deal with the Morley Experiment in addition to Einstein's studies. There are videos as well as diagrams that will be helpful toward the comprenhension of the Theory of Relativity. This website also deals with current modern day uses of the Theory of Relativity. This site is credible because it takes a neutral stance on this topic and is hosted by the international nobel association. Because it is published by the very association that awarded the nobel prize to Albert Einstein, the principle reasearcher on the theory of relativity, it poses as a credible site.

"Relativity: Einstein's theory of relativity in animations and film clips. Einstein Light." __School of Physics at UNSW, Sydney, Australia__. 7 Feb. 2009 . This site was key in explaining the basics of the theory of relativity. I didnt directly source this website in my wiki but the information this website offered helped me understand what the theory was all about.

"Short Words to Explain Relativity." __Welcome to Muppetlabs__. 7 Feb. 2009 . This site was used for the information on the modern research that has gone into the theory of relativity as well as the modern applications.

Stern, David. "The Theory of Relativity." __NASA Polar, Wind, and Geotail Projects__. 9 May 2008. 7 Feb. 2009 . This website provides a general overview of the theory of relativity in a simplistic form. There is no need to look up complicated words or ideas associated with the theory of relativity, targeted toward high school and college students. A good site to start with. This site is credible because it is written by an employee at NASA with several decades of experience in the field of scientific research.