The adapter does not affect the speed of the turntable, and you would still need to flip the switch on the record player to 45 RPM. These physically smaller (7") records were commonly referred to as singles because they would hold a single song per side.

The larger (12") 33 1/3 RPM records had a smaller spindle than 45s, which meant you would need to use an adapter like the one pictured to play a 45, as demonstrated in the video shared by @thermal_shock.

Since 33s were physically larger and played at a slower speed, you could fit much more music on each side of the disc. That's why those discs would be used for entire albums, and were also commonly referred to as LPs (Long Plays).

I think it's just an adapter because the holes are different size, so this goes in the larger hole to fit the spindle. I've never used a record either though so...

https://youtube.com/shorts/DdpZei_f0Eg

Kindengartenkind (Kindergarten child). We don't use Kindergärtner, but I'd expect the educator to be the gardener in that context

Oh yeah. Lots if vintage record shops have them.

some DJs die young