Special Relativity By Jackson Andrews

Introduction Special relativity is the theory of the relationship between space and time. It was originally proposed in 1905 by Albert Einstein. It is centered around two main postulates: The Principal of Relativity The Principal of Invariant Light Speed

principal of relativity All the laws of nature are the same in all uniformly moving frames of reference. Moving at a constant velocity has the same effect as being completely still.

The Principal of Invariant light speed In a vacuum, light will always travels at the same velocity.

Relativity of simultaneity Two events, simultaneous for one observer, may not be simultaneous for another observer if the observers are in relative motion.

Time dilation Moving clocks are measured to tick more slowly than an observer's "stationary" clock.

Maximum speed is finite No physical object, message or field line can travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum.

Mass–energy equivalence E = mc2, energy and mass are equivalent and transmutable. The mass of an object or system is a measure of its energy content.

Length contraction Objects are measured to be shortened in the direction that they are moving with respect to the observer.