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The Theory of Relativity

In today's modern society, Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity is still undergoing some amounts of research in order to expand, however, our society has indubitably 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 technological advancements of Global Positioning Systems.

Background Information
 * his theory influenced the impact on daily life, philosophy, and society
 * general theory and special theory
 * Einstein used principles by Italian astronomer Galileo
 * Einstein argued that Maxwell's equations meant that the speed of light must be equal in all inertial frames
 * according to the principle of equivalence, an object's gravitational mass equals its inertial mass
 * the curvature of space time is directly related to the four-momentum of matter and radiation present

What is the Theory of Relativity? According to Einstein, the Theory of Relativity states that the speed of light is a constant value and that the laws of physics are the same seen by either a moving person or a non-moving person. The equivalence principle states that "gravity pulling in one direction is completely equivalent to an acceleration in the opposite direction" (Lightman). Many predictions of this theory have been thoroughly confirmed by many different experiments, such as the bending of starlight by gravity and a shift in the orbit of Mercury. Albert Einstein was "heralded as the most influential thinker of the 20th century and possibly in modern history" (Arora).

A New View of the Gravitational Field 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.  The Effect on 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. Another aspect of society that is affected by Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity is the a more commonly known device known as a Global Positioning System (GPS). Various time dilation are used in order for the GPS to correctly tell the times, and basically to function properly. "Nuclear energy has helped alleviate a portion of our reliance on non-renewable resources for out energy needs" (Arora). Due to the theory of general relativity, a clock closer to a large object will function a lot more slowly that a clock that is far away from the object. Therefore, GPS systems on the earth work much quicker that other types of clocks.

These are only two of the major aspects of society that have been greatly influenced by Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity, however there are many more. Our society today is filled with an abundance of resources that have been affected by the Theory of Relativity in some way or another. Many politicians, philosophers, and activists have all used different and various parts of Einstein's theory in order to expand their own theories and make them more scientifically logical. People rely on the theory in order to attempt to change society again, expanding it and also improving it. Although Einstein's theory is not perfect and it is still undergoing various amounts of research, it will continue to be used and expanded.

Works Cited:

Arora, Hans. "Einstein’s Theory of Relativity: Implications Beyond Science? — Science in Society." __Home — Science in Society__. 27 Jan. 2009 .

This informative website written by Hans Arora explains every aspect of Einstein's theories as they relate to modern and postmodern philosophers and activists. Implications of the theories on society are also discussed. Different applications of Einstein's theory of relativity are discussed, prompting questions that the reader should ask themselves about how, in the future, he or she will continue to be affected by the theory of relativity. Overall, this website was very helpful in answering the essential question.

"Curious About Astronomy? The Theory of Relativity." __Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer__. 27 Jan. 2009 .

The theory of relativity is discussed throughout this website and it is explained how it came about through the thoughts of Albert Einstein. It explains the basic principles of his theory and that it is required when studying objects that are moving in a strong gravitational field of moving near the speed of light. The website also breaks down the principles of the theory of special relativity and the theory of general relativity. It also discusses different applications in which the theory is used, as well as provides links to different websites that will allow you to ask questions that will be answered by a team of graduate students who are studying to get their PhD in astronomy.

Lightman, Alan. "NOVA | Einstein's Big Idea | Relativity (Lightman Essay) | PBS." __PBS__. 27 Jan. 2009 .

Einstein's Theory of Relativity is discussed in this website as a theory of times and space. The information then goes on to explain the story behind Einstein's theory and the way in which it relates to other forms of outer space activity such as stars and the theory of the big bang. The main point of Einstein's theory is that the gravity pulling in one direction is equal to the acceleration in the opposite direction, also known as the equivalent principle. This website is credible because it was written by a qualified person, as well as published by a popular science organization and hosted by PBS.