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Thread: Theory of Relativity

  1. #1
    confidentially pleased cacian's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Theory of Relativity

    How do I explain this theory to a child without getting myslef too hyped up about it?

    I got as far as the univers expanding and time dilating.
    Anyone here with a simplifier?
    Thanks!
    it may never try
    but when it does it sigh
    it is just that
    good
    it fly

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    Quote Originally Posted by cacian View Post
    How do I explain this theory to a child without getting myslef too hyped up about it?

    I got as far as the univers expanding and time dilating.
    Anyone here with a simplifier?
    Thanks!
    The imagination is important, but an imagination without knowledge is like a toilet without water. ~ C A Cafolini

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    Registered User /dev/null's Avatar
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    Trains. Then conformal diagrams.

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    confidentially pleased cacian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by /dev/null View Post
    Trains. Then conformal diagrams.
    Woud you mind explaining a bit more dev/null ?
    Trains is movement but diagrams are shapes.
    Is it something shapes move?

    Quote Originally Posted by cafolini View Post
    The imagination is important, but an imagination without knowledge is like a toilet without water. ~ C A Cafolini
    Ouch!
    it may never try
    but when it does it sigh
    it is just that
    good
    it fly

  5. #5
    In the fog Charles Darnay's Avatar
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    Depending on how old the person is, introduce him/her to this:
    I wrote a poem on a leaf and it blew away...

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    Registered User My2cents's Avatar
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    According to a PBS presentation, it boils down to the idea that time and space aren't mutually exclusive. Ergo if you're moving in space, then time actually slows down. I'm grossly simplifying things, so here's a link to possible enlightenment:

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics...-nutshell.html

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    Quote Originally Posted by cacian View Post
    Ouch!
    Actually time does not dilate. But time is a variable. So, if there is a compression because the object is pushing through some density, you might want to interpret that time dilated. It's useless.

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    confidentially pleased cacian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Darnay View Post
    Depending on how old the person is, introduce him/her to this:
    Thank you Charles the book looks interesting. Have you read it?
    Quote Originally Posted by My2cents View Post
    According to a PBS presentation, it boils down to the idea that time and space aren't mutually exclusive. Ergo if you're moving in space, then time actually slows down. I'm grossly simplifying things, so here's a link to possible enlightenment:

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics...-nutshell.html
    Time is pointless in space right?
    Thanks for the link!

    Quote Originally Posted by cafolini View Post
    Actually time does not dilate. But time is a variable. So, if there is a compression because the object is pushing through some density, you might want to interpret that time dilated. It's useless.
    Could this link with this question:
    Is everything one sees real?
    it may never try
    but when it does it sigh
    it is just that
    good
    it fly

  9. #9
    In the fog Charles Darnay's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cacian View Post
    Thank you Charles the book looks interesting. Have you read it?
    Yes. I really like it.


    Time is pointless in space right?

    No, no it is definitely not.
    I wrote a poem on a leaf and it blew away...

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    Quote Originally Posted by cacian View Post
    How do I explain this theory to a child without getting myslef too hyped up about it?
    The same way you'd explain your thoughts on biology, surely.

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    Litterateur Anton Hermes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis View Post
    The same way you'd explain your thoughts on biology, surely.


    "Who needs books? Ponder away, kid."

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    confidentially pleased cacian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mutatis-Mutandis View Post
    The same way you'd explain your thoughts on biology, surely.
    I guess I would try it my way if I did not understand it the other way.
    You cannot blame me if Darwin failed to make it clear to me.
    it may never try
    but when it does it sigh
    it is just that
    good
    it fly

  13. #13
    Litterateur Anton Hermes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cacian View Post
    You cannot blame me if Darwin failed to make it clear to me.
    If Darwin and everyone in this thread failed to make it clear to you, it's safe to say where the blame lies.

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    Seriously guys (Mutatis, Anton), why bother bringing that up here.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cacian View Post
    I guess I would try it my way if I did not understand it the other way.
    You cannot blame me if Darwin failed to make it clear to me.
    Of course I can. Who better to blame, really? Darwin made it quite clear for millions of people. If one person doesn't understand it, the fault is with that one person more than it is with Darwin.

    Quote Originally Posted by Volya View Post
    Seriously guys (Mutatis, Anton), why bother bringing that up here.
    I felt it relevant to remind people what kind of reactions they'd get if they actually decided to take the time to truly explain the theory of relativity to cacian.

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