IMPORTANT THEORIES for SPACE SCIENCE
Gravity
Time
Gravity is a physical force of attraction found
between objects that have mass. On Earth, it
is gravity - the attraction of the earth that pulls
objects down
down,&gives
givesthem
themweight.
weight.InInfact,
fact,
gravity is also the reason for the very
existence of the Earth and other celestial
bodies. Without gravity, matter would not
have formed into stars and
galaxies. Gravity also keeps
the
theEarth,
Earth,moon
moonand
andthe
theother
other
planets in their orbits. A lot is
now known about the properties
of gravity, but why there is gravitational force
remains an important topic of scientific
research.
In the history of science, time was seen as
a basic quantity of measurement that does
not take up space. It is considered the 4th
dimension, after length, width & height.
Einstein changed all that when his theory
of special relativity showed how extremely
high speed motion can warp time and
space. His work with subatomic particles
helped him create the idea of spacetime.
timespace.
Because of Einstein, scientists now think
of time as “an event that similar clocks, not
in motion themselves, measure identically
and simultaneously.”
Big Bang
The Big Bang is the scientific theory that the
entire Universe emerged from an huge
enormously
dense
dense
and
hotand
state
hotinstate
one huge
in oneexplosion
huge explosion
about
aboutbillion
13.7
13.7 billion
years ago.
yearsMany
ago. scientists
Many scientists
studying space believe that, since this event,
space itself has been expanding with the
passage of time, carrying the galaxies with it
away from the center of the universe.
Observations of all objects in space, and of
the existence of cosmic microwave
background radiation everywhere in space,
seem to prove this theory
is correct.
correct.
This
This
shows
shows
the
Big
the Bigat
Bang
Bang at
bottom
bottom
&
the
& the
universe
universe
today
at
now at
top.
top.
Scientists think
time would look
like this, if we could
see it. It is the 4th
dimension of
measurement after
1-D, 2-D & 3-D.
A Tesseract (4-D)
General Relativity
General relativity was developed by
Einstein in the years 1911 - 1915. General
relativity is a geometrical theory which
says that the presence of mass and
energy "curves" spacetime. This curving
affects the path of free particles (and even
the path of light). The theory uses
mathematics to study gravitation without
referring to gravity. "Gravitation" is the
mutual attraction between bodies of matter
in space away from Earth. This theory is
important for astronomers wanting to
understand events in deep space.
Spacetime
may look &
bend like this.
Science in Hawai‘i/ Nā Hana Ma Ka Ahupua‘a – A Culturally Responsive Curriculum Project
Retrieved and adapted 2.15.06 from: www.wikipedia.com; http://www.symmation.com/gallery/view.php?id=45
1
IMPORTANT THEORIES for SPACE SCIENCE
GRAVITY
Gravity is a physical force of attraction found between objects that have mass.
On Earth, it is gravity - the attraction of the earth that pulls objects down, gives
them weight. In fact, gravity is also the reason for the very existence of the Earth
and other celestial bodies. Without gravity, matter would not have formed into
stars and galaxies. Gravity also keeps the Earth, moon and the other planets in
their orbits. A lot is now known about the properties of gravity, but why there is
gravitational force remains an important topic of scientific research.
TIME
In the history of science, time was seen as a basic quantity of measurement that
does not take up space. It is considered the 4th dimension, after length, width &
height. Einstein changed all that when his theory of special relativity showed
how extremely high speed motion can warp time and space. His work with
subatomic particles helped him create the idea of timespace. Because of
Einstein, scientists now think of time as “an event that similar clocks, not in
motion themselves, measure identically and simultaneously.”
Scientists think time would look
like this, if we could see it. It is the 4th
dimension of measurement after
1-D, 2-D & 3-D.
A Tesseract (4-D)
Science in Hawai‘i/ Nā Hana Ma Ka Ahupua‘a – A Culturally Responsive Curriculum Project
Retrieved and adapted 2.15.06 from: www.wikipedia.com; http://www.symmation.com/gallery/view.php?id=45
2
THE BIG BANG
The Big Bang is the scientific theory that the entire Universe emerged from an
enormously dense and hot state in one huge explosion about 13.7 billion years
ago. Many scientists studying space believe that, since this event, space itself
has been expanding with the passage of time, carrying the galaxies with it away
from the center of the universe. Observations of all objects in space, and of the
existence of cosmic microwave background radiation everywhere in space, seem
to prove this theory is correct.
This shows the Big
Bang at bottom & the
universe now at top.
GENERAL RELATIVITY
General relativity was developed by Einstein in the years 1911 - 1915. General
relativity is a geometrical theory which says that the presence of mass and
energy "curves" spacetime. This curving affects the path of free particles (and
even the path of light). The theory uses mathematics to study gravitation without
referring to gravity. "Gravitation" is the mutual attraction between bodies of
matter in space away from Earth. This theory is important for astronomers
wanting to understand events in deep space.
Spacetime may look & bend like this.
Science in Hawai‘i/ Nā Hana Ma Ka Ahupua‘a – A Culturally Responsive Curriculum Project
Retrieved and adapted 2.15.06 from: www.wikipedia.com; http://www.symmation.com/gallery/view.php?id=45
3