Relativity
noun
The idea in physics that space and time can change according to where you are and how fast you are going.
Albert Einstein developed the theory of relativity.
Often appears as...
- theory of relativity
- special relativity
Usage tips
Academic
noun
The way in which things are thought of as dependent on and changing according to a relationship with something else.
The relativity of culture means that values change with context.
Often appears as...
- cultural relativity
- moral relativity
noun
The idea in physics that space and time can change according to where you are and how fast you are going.
Albert Einstein developed the theory of relativity.
Often appears as...
- theory of relativity
- special relativity
Usage tips
Academic
noun
The way in which things are thought of as dependent on and changing according to a relationship with something else.
The relativity of culture means that values change with context.
Often appears as...
- cultural relativity
- moral relativity
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Einsteinian Origin
The term is strongly associated with Einstein's theories and often implies complex physics concepts.
When asked about time dilation, he referenced Einstein's relativity to explain.
Pro Tip 2/3Highly Scientific
It's often used in scientific contexts to discuss the fabric of space-time continuum and gravity.
Her lecture on black holes discussed relativity and its impact on light.
Pro Tip 3/3Space-Time Dynamics
Relativity implies that measurements of various quantities are relative to the velocities of the observers.
According to relativity, time moves slower for objects in motion.
Pro Tip 1/3Einsteinian Origin
The term is strongly associated with Einstein's theories and often implies complex physics concepts.
When asked about time dilation, he referenced Einstein's relativity to explain.
Pro Tip 2/3Highly Scientific
It's often used in scientific contexts to discuss the fabric of space-time continuum and gravity.
Her lecture on black holes discussed relativity and its impact on light.
Pro Tip 3/3Space-Time Dynamics
Relativity implies that measurements of various quantities are relative to the velocities of the observers.
According to relativity, time moves slower for objects in motion.
Pro Tip 1/3Einsteinian Origin
The term is strongly associated with Einstein's theories and often implies complex physics concepts.
When asked about time dilation, he referenced Einstein's relativity to explain.
Pro Tip 2/3Highly Scientific
It's often used in scientific contexts to discuss the fabric of space-time continuum and gravity.
Her lecture on black holes discussed relativity and its impact on light.
Pro Tip 3/3Space-Time Dynamics
Relativity implies that measurements of various quantities are relative to the velocities of the observers.
According to relativity, time moves slower for objects in motion.
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Video examples
How to take a picture of...
A hundred years ago, Albert Einstein first published his theory of general relativity. In the years since then, scientists have provided a lot of evidence in support of it. But one thing predicted from this theory, black holes, still have not been directly observed. Although we have some idea as to what a black hole might look like,
Video examples
Einstein's twin paradox...
But from having studied special relativity, the twins know it’s not that simple. First of all, the faster an object moves through space, the slower it moves through time compared to an unmoving observer. This relationship can be quantified with something called the Lorentz factor, which is defined by this equation.
Video examples
Is time travel possible?...
And it was his conclusions, formulated in the theory of special relativity, that opened the door into the world of time travel. Imagine a man named Jack, standing in the middle of a train carriage, traveling at a steady speed. Jack's bored and starts bouncing a ball up and down.
Video examples
How math saved my life PIPE...
beautiful woman and as we started talking I managed to get a conversation going with her and I talked about typical things that guys do like pie and relativity and drawing and somehow managed to get her interested in talking to me and as we talked she said what a
Video examples
Einstein's miracle year...
if it was the speed of light that remained constant, regardless of reference frame, while both time and space were relative to the observer. It took Einstein only a few weeks to work out the details and formulate what came to be known as special relativity.
Video examples
Does time exist? -...
describing the universe, right? We currently have two sets of equations that govern physics. General relativity describes the behavior of very large things, while quantum physics explains the very small. One of the biggest goals in theoretical physics
Video examples
What is the universe...
The universe began its cosmic life in a big bang nearly fourteen billion years ago, and has been expanding ever since. But what is it expanding into? That's a complicated question. Here's Einstein's equations of general relativity
Video examples
Elevator Thought...
I should've seen it before. This is so simple, so beautiful. Acceleration and gravity are the same thing. This is the idea I've been missing to complete relativity. This may just be one of the happiest thoughts of my life.
Video examples
Einstein's brilliant...
prevents science fiction scenarios, like using entangled particles to send messages faster than light. So relativity is safe, for now. But the quantum universe is far stranger than Einstein wanted to believe.
Video examples
Questioning the universe...
We used to think that the theory of the universe could be divided into two parts. First, there were the laws like Maxwell's equations and general relativity that determined the evolution of the universe,
Video examples
How to take a picture of...
A hundred years ago, Albert Einstein first published his theory of general relativity. In the years since then, scientists have provided a lot of evidence in support of it. But one thing predicted from this theory, black holes, still have not been directly observed. Although we have some idea as to what a black hole might look like,
Video examples
Einstein's twin paradox...
But from having studied special relativity, the twins know it’s not that simple. First of all, the faster an object moves through space, the slower it moves through time compared to an unmoving observer. This relationship can be quantified with something called the Lorentz factor, which is defined by this equation.
Video examples
Is time travel possible?...
And it was his conclusions, formulated in the theory of special relativity, that opened the door into the world of time travel. Imagine a man named Jack, standing in the middle of a train carriage, traveling at a steady speed. Jack's bored and starts bouncing a ball up and down.
Video examples
How math saved my life PIPE...
beautiful woman and as we started talking I managed to get a conversation going with her and I talked about typical things that guys do like pie and relativity and drawing and somehow managed to get her interested in talking to me and as we talked she said what a
Video examples
Einstein's miracle year...
if it was the speed of light that remained constant, regardless of reference frame, while both time and space were relative to the observer. It took Einstein only a few weeks to work out the details and formulate what came to be known as special relativity.
Video examples
Does time exist? -...
describing the universe, right? We currently have two sets of equations that govern physics. General relativity describes the behavior of very large things, while quantum physics explains the very small. One of the biggest goals in theoretical physics
Video examples
What is the universe...
The universe began its cosmic life in a big bang nearly fourteen billion years ago, and has been expanding ever since. But what is it expanding into? That's a complicated question. Here's Einstein's equations of general relativity
Video examples
Elevator Thought...
I should've seen it before. This is so simple, so beautiful. Acceleration and gravity are the same thing. This is the idea I've been missing to complete relativity. This may just be one of the happiest thoughts of my life.
Video examples
Einstein's brilliant...
prevents science fiction scenarios, like using entangled particles to send messages faster than light. So relativity is safe, for now. But the quantum universe is far stranger than Einstein wanted to believe.
Video examples
Questioning the universe...
We used to think that the theory of the universe could be divided into two parts. First, there were the laws like Maxwell's equations and general relativity that determined the evolution of the universe,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
E. L. Doctorow
American Author
I discovered Einstein said the same thing about his celebrated theories of relativity that writers say about their work when he said he didn't have any feelings of personal possession of these ideas. Once they were out there, they came from somewhere else. And that's exactly the feeling when you write. You don't feel possessive about it.
Quote examples
Richard P. Feynman
American Physicist
Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic on which one has to walk in order not to make a mistake in predicting what will happen. The quantum mechanical and the relativity ideas are examples of this.
Quote examples
Brian Greene
American Physicist
String theory is the most developed theory with the capacity to unite general relativity and quantum mechanics in a consistent manner. I do believe the universe is consistent, and therefore I do believe that general relativity and quantum mechanics should be put together in a manner that makes sense.
Quote examples
Stephen Hawking
English Physicist
For years, my early work with Roger Penrose seemed to be a disaster for science. It showed that the universe must have begun with a singularity, if Einstein's general theory of relativity is correct. That appeared to indicate that science could not predict how the universe would begin.
Quote examples
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Irish Scientist
Pulsars are in an ideal part of the universe to test Einstein's theory of relativity - so far, it's holding up well. They may even one day act as navigational beacons for spacecraft. I'll never tire of them; they really are the most extraordinary objects.
Quote examples
Douglas Sirk
German Director
And it really began with Einstein. We attended his lectures. Now the theory of relativity remained - and still remains - only a theory. It has not been proven. But it suggested a completely different picture of the physical world.
Quote examples
Frank Tipler
Physicist
What you can show using physics, forces this universe to continue to exist. As long as you're using general relativity and quantum mechanics you are forced to conclude that God exists.
Quote examples
Alan Guth
American Physicist
Relativity can, for instance, explain that the universe had once been clumped into a dense fireball. But it can never explain how matter actually behaved.
Quote examples
Albert Einstein
German Physicist
When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity.
Quote examples
Leonard Susskind
American Physicist
Einstein, in the special theory of relativity, proved that different observers, in different states of motion, see different realities.
Quote examples
E. L. Doctorow
American Author
I discovered Einstein said the same thing about his celebrated theories of relativity that writers say about their work when he said he didn't have any feelings of personal possession of these ideas. Once they were out there, they came from somewhere else. And that's exactly the feeling when you write. You don't feel possessive about it.
Quote examples
Richard P. Feynman
American Physicist
Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic on which one has to walk in order not to make a mistake in predicting what will happen. The quantum mechanical and the relativity ideas are examples of this.
Quote examples
Brian Greene
American Physicist
String theory is the most developed theory with the capacity to unite general relativity and quantum mechanics in a consistent manner. I do believe the universe is consistent, and therefore I do believe that general relativity and quantum mechanics should be put together in a manner that makes sense.
Quote examples
Stephen Hawking
English Physicist
For years, my early work with Roger Penrose seemed to be a disaster for science. It showed that the universe must have begun with a singularity, if Einstein's general theory of relativity is correct. That appeared to indicate that science could not predict how the universe would begin.
Quote examples
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Irish Scientist
Pulsars are in an ideal part of the universe to test Einstein's theory of relativity - so far, it's holding up well. They may even one day act as navigational beacons for spacecraft. I'll never tire of them; they really are the most extraordinary objects.
Quote examples
Douglas Sirk
German Director
And it really began with Einstein. We attended his lectures. Now the theory of relativity remained - and still remains - only a theory. It has not been proven. But it suggested a completely different picture of the physical world.
Quote examples
Frank Tipler
Physicist
What you can show using physics, forces this universe to continue to exist. As long as you're using general relativity and quantum mechanics you are forced to conclude that God exists.
Quote examples
Alan Guth
American Physicist
Relativity can, for instance, explain that the universe had once been clumped into a dense fireball. But it can never explain how matter actually behaved.
Quote examples
Albert Einstein
German Physicist
When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity.
Quote examples
Leonard Susskind
American Physicist
Einstein, in the special theory of relativity, proved that different observers, in different states of motion, see different realities.
Example 1 of 10
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