How do you explain relativity to a child?

1. The principle of relativity: The laws of physics are the same for any inertial reference frame. 2. The principle of the speed of light: The speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers, regardless of their relative motion or the motion of the source of the light.

What is the special theory of relativity for kids?

Albert Einstein developed the theory of relativity, a scientific explanation about how space relates to time. Special relativity says that motion is always relative and that space and time exist in relation to each other.

How do you explain relativity simply?

What is general relativity? Essentially, it’s a theory of gravity. The basic idea is that instead of being an invisible force that attracts objects to one another, gravity is a curving or warping of space. The more massive an object, the more it warps the space around it.

What does special relativity explain?

Special relativity is an explanation of how speed affects mass, time and space. As an object approaches the speed of light, the object’s mass becomes infinite and so does the energy required to move it. That means it is impossible for any matter to go faster than light travels.

What do you know about special relativity?

Special relativity revealed that the speed of light is a limit that can be approached but not reached by any material object. It is the origin of the most famous equation in science, E = mc2, which expresses the fact that mass and energy are the same physical entity and can be changed into each other.

What are the rules of special relativity?

The special principle of relativity states that physical laws should be the same in every inertial frame of reference, but that they may vary across non-inertial ones. This principle is used in both Newtonian mechanics and the theory of special relativity.