"120 years ago, Einstein put forth his Special theory of Relativity, asserting that neither space nor time were absolute quantities, but rather the answers you'd get for measuring distances, positions, and durations would be dependent on your location and relative motion. The only absolute, Einstein contended, was the speed of light in a vacuum. This was indeed a revolutionary statement, but the formulas for working out how distances and durations changed in a velocity-dependent way, especially as you approached the speed of light,"
"Einstein's key insights, and the profundity of Special Relativity, were lauded and marveled at by even the physicists who had discovered the transformations previously. Even today, most laypersons only have a vague notion that "distances and times are relative" instead of absolute, not a solid understanding of how or why that is. Most people who study physics can only refer to the Lorentz transformation's equations and plug numbers in, not explain why times dilate and lengths contract, particularly near the speed of light."
Special Relativity asserts that space and time are not absolute and that measured distances, positions, and durations depend on an observer's location and relative motion. The lone absolute quantity in Special Relativity is the speed of light in vacuum. The Lorentz transformations provide the mathematical relations for how durations and lengths change with velocity, especially near light speed, and they predate Einstein's formulation. Many people lack intuitive explanations for time dilation and length contraction and often conflate Einsteinian relativity with the older Galilean principle of relativity. Remembering three simple principles provides a solid, nonmathematical understanding of relativistic effects.
Read at Big Think
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]