GR Part I: Gravity is Accelerated Frames*

For a detailed lesson template with learning outcomes, keywords etc. click here.

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Left: Weightless hair .............Right: G suit to deal with weight increase at launch
(Images courtesy of NASA)

This lesson explores how gravity and accelerated frames seem to be very similar. An orbitting space station produces weightlessness, while astronauts need g suits during takeoff.

Interactive Lecture (45 minutes)
The PowerPoint presentation General Relativity I has the students consider a number of demonstrations and thought experiments from different frames of reference. They are lead to the equivalence priciple - that gravity and accelerated frames are equivalent. The consequences are explored - the bending of the path of light and the slowing time - and experimental evidence is given. The GR I Teacher's notes provide details that complement the slides and provides the answers to the worksheet below.

Worksheet (20 minutes)
The two-page worksheet GR I worksheet will reinforce and extend what the students did during the interactive lecture above. The first 10 questions are specifically asked during the lecture and should be filled in as notes. The next 5 questions has the students apply what they learnt and do a little research on weightlessness. The answers are provided in the teachers notes above. Questions #5 and #10 would be good to do with whiteboards.