Space-Time-Travel
Project web site: https://www.spacetimetravel.org/, german version: https://www.tempolimit-lichtgeschwindigkeit.de/
Members: Ute Kraus, Corvin Zahn, Stephan Preiß, Thomas Reiber, Sven Weissenborn, Department of Physics, University of Hildesheim
Research Topics
Sector models for teaching general relativity
Teaching the general theory of relativity to high school or undergraduate students must be based on an approach that is conceptual rather than mathematical. In our research we are developing an approach that requires no more than elementary mathematics. The central idea of this introduction to general relativity is the use of so-called sector models. Sector models describe curved space the Regge calculus way by subdivision into blocks with euclidean geometry. This procedure is similar to the approximation of a curved surface by flat triangles. With this approach true-to-scale models of 2-, 1+1-, 3- and 2+1-dimensional spaces and spacetimes can be build of paper or card board or as computer models. Using this models the basic concepts of general relativity like curvature of space time, geodesics as paths of objects and light as well as the connection between matter and curvature, the Einstein field equations, can be taught in a geometric, mathematically simple but correct way while avoiding misleading analogies.
The teaching material is a free available at our web site https://www.spacetimetravel.org/.
References
C Zahn and U Kraus, Sector models—a toolkit for teaching general relativity: I. Curved spaces and spacetimes, 2014 Eur. J. Phys. 35 055020, open access: https://www.spacetimetravel.org/sectormodels1/sectormodels1.html
C Zahn and U Kraus, Sector models—a toolkit for teaching general relativity: II. Geodesics, 2019 Eur. J. Phys. 40 015601, open access: https://www.spacetimetravel.org/sectormodels2/sectormodels2.html
U Kraus and C Zahn, Sector models—a toolkit for teaching general relativity: III. Spacetime geodesics, 2019 Eur. J. Phys. 40 015602, open access: https://www.spacetimetravel.org/sectormodels3/sectormodels3.html
Visualisation of relativity
Visualisation from a first person view