Essay on Albert Einsteins Theory of Special Relativity

Albert Einsteins Theory of Special Relativity 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†¦show more content†¦Even though it does go against common sense, the special theory of relativity has been thoroughly tested and found to be correct (Krane). Before 1905, Newton ¡Ã‚ ¦s three laws of motion, or classical mechanics, were widely accepted. These three laws included the law of inertia, the law that the force is equal to mass times acceleration, and the law of equal and opposite forces (Tipler). In classical mechanics, if a girl in a car moving at 30 mph throws a ball at 10 mph, a stationary observer will see the ball moving that 40 mph. Maxwell ¡Ã‚ ¦s laws of electromagnetism were also accepted at that time. Electromagnetism explained electric and magnetic fields and attractive and repulsive forces (Tipler). However, even though both sets of laws were thought to be true, there was a problem with the two laws. The laws had a contradiction. Newton ¡Ã‚ ¦s laws of motion predicted that the speed of light depended on the motion of the source and the light source, and so given the right circumstances, light could be observed traveling faster than c, the speed of light. But Maxwell ¡Ã‚ ¦s laws predicted that light in a vacuum should travel at a constant speed, c, regardless of the motion of the observer or source (Prosper). Einstein sought to make the laws of motion consistent with the laws of electromagnetism, and he accomplished this with his paper on the theory of special relativity. The theory of special relativity makes two postulatesShow MoreRelatedAlbert Einstein: The General Theory of Relativity Essay660 Words   |  3 Pagesappears to be, makes one heroic; therefore, Albert Einstein is heroic in numerous ways. Throughout Albert Einstein’s lifetime he accomplished many amazing things that have an effect on people today. For example, in 1905, â€Å"often called as Einstein’s â€Å"miracle year†, he published four papers in the Annalen der Physik, each of which would alter the course of modern physics† (Michio,Kaku 13). Throughout Einstein’s four books, he â€Å"applied the quantum theory to light in order to explain the photoelectricRead More Albert Einstein Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pages Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Wà ¼ttemberg, Germany, on March 14, 1879. 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