In 1905, Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity was proposed. The reason that it is so "special" is because it was part of the more complex and extensive Theory of General Relativity, which was published in 1915. His theory reshaped the world of physics when it contradicted all previous laws of motion erected by Galileo and Newton. By mathematically manipulating these previous laws of motion, physicists in the nineteenth century were able to explain such phenomena as the flow of the ocean, the orbits of planets around the sun, the fall of rocks, and the random behavior of molecules in gases. At first, Einstein faced great opposition when he came up with his radical new theory because the previous laws of motion proposed by Galileo and expanded upon by Newton had remained valid for over two hundred years. However, it wouldn’t be long before the "cement" in the foundation of Newtonian and Galilean physics would begin to crumble.
Galileo had determined in 1608 that merely addition and subtraction could calculate relative speeds. Suppose that an observer stands on the side of the highway, and they watch two cars approach each other at 30 and 40 miles per hour. If they were to ask the question, "how fast is the 40 mile per hour car moving relative to the 30 mile per hour car?" They could solve the problem easily by adding the two speeds of the cars, which would equal 70 miles per hour. This means that the 40 mile per hour car sees the 30 mile per hour car advance at a speed of 70 miles per hour and vice versa.
At the core of Newtonian physics was the fact that space and time were absolute. Newton’s absolute space was the space of everyday experience with its three dimensions: east-west, north-south, and up-down. This space gives us our sense of length, breadth, and height; according to Newton. We all, regardless of our motion, will agree on the length, breadth, and height of an object, so long as we make sufficiently accurate measurements. Newton’s absolute time was the time that flows inexorably forward as we age. It is a time whose flow is experienced in common by all humanity.
The maximum speeds of birds in nature are regulated by air. No matter what direction a bird flies, it always has the same maximum speed. Newton had proposed something similar for light, which he referred to as the aether. He theorized that it was omnip...
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...a different speed will see the other’s clock slowed down.
Finally, length contraction is apparent whenever an object is in motion. For instance, an observer on the Earth would measure the length of the rocket to be shorter when it is moving at its high speed as compared to its length at rest.
Simultaneity, time intervals, and length must all be relative. Two events that are observed to be simultaneous in one reference frame will not be simultaneous in any other reference frame that is moving with respect to the first frame.
If Newtonian physics is so flawed, then why is it still used today? The answer is very simple. When traveling at speeds that are far from the speed of light i.e. speeds typical of human experience, effects such as time dilation and length contraction are so minute, it’s not practical to use Einstein’s more complex equations of Special Relativity in place of Newton’s for these motions. The fastest a human being has ever gone in a spacecraft in space is nowhere remotely near the awesome speed of light. Perhaps in the future, when spacecraft capable of traveling just under speed of light is developed, will we encounter this phenomenon in a substantial quantity.
Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity has had a colossal impact on the world and is the accepted physical theory reg...
Sir Isaac Newton made an enormous amount of contributions to the world of physics. He invented the reflecting telescope, proposed new theories of light and color, discovered calculus, developed the three laws of motion, and devised the law of universal gravitation. His greatest contribution to physics was the development of the three laws of motion. The first law was called the law of inertia; this law stated that, “Every object persists in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.” The second law is called the law of acceleration; this law stated that, “Force is equal to the chan...
In 1687, Newton published Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (also known as Principia). The Principia was the “climax of Newton's professional life” (“Sir Isaac Newton”, 370). This book contains not only information on gravity, but Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. The First Law states that an object in constant motion will remain in motion unless an outside force is applied. The Second Law states that an object accelerates when a force is applied to a mass and greater force is needed to accelerate an object with a larger mass. The Third Law states that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. These laws were fundamental in explaining the elliptical orbits of planets, moons, and comets. They were also used to calculate
The Theory of Relativity, proposed by the Jewish physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) in the early part of the 20th century, is one of the most significant scientific advances of our time. Although the concept of relativity was not introduced by Einstein, his major contribution was the recognition that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant and an absolute physical boundary for motion. This does not have a major impact on a person's day-to-day life since we travel at speeds much slower than light speed. For objects travelling near light speed, however, the theory of relativity states that objects will move slower and shorten in length from the point of view of an observer on Earth. Einstein also
... relativity the simultaneousness is also relative. It is clear, that in case of uniform linear motion the time derivative of the distance between two objects is equal to 0 only once in time, at different time two objects either converge or move away. And in case of non-inertial reference frames, the special relativity is not applicable at all.
An even more important aspect of relativity is related to “world view.” There is no question that the Western view of an event often differs greatly from say an indigenous or animistic orientation. Whereas a logical person wants a scientific explanation for an event, a shamanic one wants the “reasons,” not the proof. An example is that of a drought (weather patterns changing). Our science and rational explanation would be very complicated involving temperature gradiational change of water levels in the ocean, more or less sunlight hitting the area based on our atmospheric reflection conditions, excess dust blowing from desertification of an area windward of the draught area, and it goes on. These would be facts and possibly correct. But there is always that which transpires behind that which is.
Greene continues with his explanations of the special theory of relativity.Chapter 3: Of Warps and Ripples Green begins the chapter by describing "Newton's View of Gravity" and continues by discussing the incompatibility of Newtonian Gravity and Special Relativity. The author also talks about how Einstein discovered the link between acceleration and the warping of space and time. Greene also discuses the basic aspects of General Relativity. He later points out how the two theories of relativity effect black holes, the big bang, and the expansion of space.Chapter 4: Microscopic Weirdness This chapter describes, in detail, the workings of quantum mechanics.
Isaac Newton had a new approach to the existence of space and time that contradicted that of great philosophers such as Leibniz and Descates. Newton felt that space and time are infinite and independent of the body and mind, that the bodies and minds of the world existed in space and time and even without the presence of physical bodies there still would be space and time. He stated there “are positions in space and time which are independent of the material entities” that existed in them and that the principles of empty space and time are possible. In the Prolegomena, Immanuel Kant seems to have agreed in part with Newton’s views of space and time and attempted to support Newton by presenting two forms of judgment that would maintain Newton’s thesis, these being judgments of perception and judgments of experience.
One of the earliest questionings of the speed of light was done by a Greek Philosopher by the name of Empedocles. Empedocles taught that the universe was composed of fire, water, air, and earth. He also was the first to say that light had a finite speed. He proposed that light was something in motion and had to take time to travel. Aristotle thought that light is due to the occurrence of something—not any movement. Ptolemy and Euclid, two great mathematicians, talked about there new emission theory of vision, that told that light is emitted from the eye. Heron of Alexandria, an Egyptian mathematician, proposed the speed of light must be infinite, due to the distant objects appearing right as the opening of eyes occur. Johannes Kepler, the great astronomer of Germany, stood by the idea that the speed of light was infinite, because empty space has no obstacle to it. Without ...
A hundred years ago, a young married couple sat at a kitchen table talking over the items of the day while their young boy sat listening earnestly. He had heard the debate every night, and while there were no raised voices, their discussion was intense. It was a subject about which his parents were most passionate - the electrodynamics of moving bodies in the universe. The couple were of equal intelligence and fortitude, working together on a theory that few people can comprehend even to this day. Mileva Maric Einstein was considered to be the intellectual equal of her husband Albert, but somehow went unrecognized for her contributions to the 1905 Papers, which included the Special Theory of Relativity. The stronger force of these two bodies would be propelled into the archives of scientific history, while the other would be left to die alone, virtually unknown. Mrs. Einstein was robbed. She deserved to be recognized for at least a collaborative effort, but it was not to be. The role which society had accorded her and plain, bad luck would prove to be responsible for the life of this great mathematician and scientist, gone unnoticed.
5.) Linear time - is a record of events in sequence from past to the present.
The theory of Special Relativity, written by Albert Einstein in 1905, describes the laws of motion at velocities close to and at the speed of light. It was written to make the laws of motion consistent with the laws of electromagnetism. Special relativity makes two postulates: the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers and the speed of light in a vacuum is constant, regardless of motion. One of the consequences of these postulates is that clocks run slower to an observer in motion, or time slows down. Special relativity also states that objects at high speeds always appear shorter in the direction of motion than they do at rest. However, length measurements transverse to the direction of motion are unaffected. Velocity addition is different for special relativity than for classical mechanics because according to special relativity, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. Also, in order to retain the conservation of momentum as a general law consistent with Einstein's first postulate, a new definition of momentum must be used at relativistic velocities. The twin paradox is the famous example that uses time dilation and length contraction. Special relativity is not contradictory with classical mechanics because at low speeds, all of the laws of special relativity reduce to the laws of classical mechanics.
I am not saying that Newton’s and other theories like it are wrong, I am saying that we put too much faith in something that is not absolute, unfortunately we have no other choice.
In 1906, Albert Einstein created the theory of special relativity. The theory explains how it understands motion between different inertial frames of reference, meaning places that are moving at constant speeds relative to each other. He explained that when two objects are moving at a constant speed as the relative motion between the two objects, instead of appealing to the other as an absolute frame of reference that defined what was going on. Einstein’s theory is based on two things: the principle of relativity and the principle of the speed of light. The principle of relativity is where the laws of physics don’t change, even for objects moving in inertial (constant speed). The principle of the speed of light is the same to everyone, regardless of their motion relative to the light source. This involves the idea of what happens to time when you approach the speed of light. The answer is that time slows down, which is called time dilation. In addition, mass increases as it moves faster when approaching the speed of light.
Classical mechanics is a summary from the daily life of mechanical movement out of the law, the speed of movement of objects in everyday life are low speed, and the speed is much less than the speed of light, such as a moving car, firing missiles, satellites and spacecraft, etc. therefore fully applicable to classical mechanics. Some microscopic particles under certain conditions it may be close to the speed of light, this speed is called speed. Fast-moving objects, classical mechanics no longer apply, and the early 20th century, the famous physicist Albert Einstein established the special theory of relativity, special relativity elaborated near the speed of light in order to comply with the laws of motion of