Simple Explanation of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity

Old Before Einstein, Galileo has laid the cornerstone principle of relativity. In 1905, Albert Einstein published the special theory of relativity, which describes how to interpret the motion between the inertial frame of reference is different. Inertial frame of reference quite simply is something that is moving with constant velocity relative to something else.

Einstein explained that the two objects are moving at a constant speed, is seen as a relative motion between two objects, with no reference to the ether which is defined as the absolute reference frame to define what exactly is going on. For example: if there are two astronauts A and B are in a different plane with a speed that is not the same then want to compare an observation, then calculated just how fast A and B are moving relative to each other.

Special relativity describes the special case where the motion is to be reviewed has a constant speed. The motion could be explained by the theory of special relativity is a straight motion at a constant speed. If the motion is reviewed accelerated or turn, then special relativity can not explain. This is why Einstein's general relativity is created, because it can explain all kinds of motion.

Einstein's theory of special relativity is based on two principles:

The principle of relativity: The laws of physics do not change for all objects that move inertial frame of reference (fixed speed). The principle of light speed: The speed of light is the same for all observers, does not depend on the velocity of the observer relative to the light source.

At the end of the 19th century, physicists were looking for something mysterious called ether, a medium which is believed to be the medium of light propagation. Einstein eliminate the entire concept of the existence of ether.

Uniting Space and Time

Einstein's theory of special relativity creating a fundamental connection between space and time. The universe can be viewed as having three dimensions of space and one dimension of time. The so-called four-dimensional space-time continuum.

if you move fast enough, the observation that you do with space and time can be different from the observations of others are moving at different speeds. Imagine you're in a spaceship and holding a laser beam is directed at the mirror which is above, the laser beam will be reflected by the mirrors and the detectors.

If the plane is moving at a speed half times the speed of light (0.5 c), according to Einstein it has no effect on the observer on the plane. But if there are other observers who watched from the other aircraft, as seemingly at the bottom of the picture, the story would be different.

Observers in other aircraft will see the light on your track diagonally upward moving towards the mirror and diagonally downward toward a detector. In other words you are and observers outside the plane you will see a different light path through which light distances are different, too. So the time it takes for light to get to the detector is also different.

This phenomenon is known most of the time dilation (which is often said to be the time dilation), where time is running in a plane that is moving very quickly become slower according to observers who are in the earth.

The examples demonstrate that in Einstein's theory of relativity, time and space related. If you are using a Lorentz transformation equations, you will find that the speed of light is perfectly consistent for both observers.

General behavior of space and time can only apply when you are moving at speeds approaching the speed of light, so no one has ever observed before. The experiments that have been done since the discovery of Einstein has confirmed that space and time behave differently for objects moving at speeds approaching the speed of light, exactly as Einstein described.