Keep trying to understand, it is actually one of the more fascinating areas of physics. I have been deliberately brief in my answers above because the questions you ask can't really be answered with the allotted space. Even if I could you would not necessarily understand without some good diagrams and lots of time spent thinking.
The best advice I can give you is to buy a really good intro book on the topic, the web is fine but sometimes it really helps to have a really good book to explain step-by-step right from the beginning.
The link below is the book I would suggest for an absolute beginner. If you can find it cheaper than the ridiculous price here I emphatically urge you to consider it. It will give you everything you need to understand the basics. As a bonus you get some quantum physics too. It's quite a slim volume so it's not too daunting. Like I say, it's a foothold.
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog…