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Theory of Relativity

Definition

The theory of relativity, proposed by Albert Einstein, describes gravity as a curvature of space-time caused by mass and energy rather than a force acting between objects.

Analogy

Imagine you're on a trampoline with some bowling balls. When you place the bowling balls on the trampoline, it bends under their weight. If you then roll smaller balls around them, they'll move towards the heavier ones because of the curve. That's kind of how gravity works according to Einstein's theory - it's not that objects are pulling each other, but that they're bending space itself.

Related terms

Space-Time Continuum: This is a four-dimensional structure (three dimensions of space and one dimension of time) in which events occur. In our trampoline analogy, this would be the fabric itself.

Gravity: A force that attracts two bodies toward each other. In our analogy, this is represented by how smaller balls roll towards larger ones on our bent trampoline surface.

Mass-Energy Equivalence: This principle from Einstein’s theory suggests that mass and energy are interchangeable under certain conditions (E=mc^2). It's like saying if we could somehow convert our bowling ball into pure energy, it would create an enormous amount of power.