What is the theory of relativity in a nutshell?

Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity, first postulated in 1905, says that the laws of physics and the speed of light are the same for all observers, regardless of their own speed or motion. According to Special Relativity, both will record the same speed for the beam, regardless of their own speed and direction.

What is Einstein’s special theory of relativity answer?

According to Einstein’s special theory of relativity, time and distance are not absolute. From this followed the world’s most famous formula which describes the relationship between mass and energy i.e., E = me^2.

How do you explain the theory of relativity to a child?

1. The principle of relativity: The laws of physics are the same for any inertial reference frame. 2. The principle of the speed of light: The speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers, regardless of their relative motion or the motion of the source of the light.

What is a simple example of relativity?

A Relative Example One example of relativity is to imagine two people on a train playing ping-pong. The train is traveling at around 30 m/s north. When the ball is hit back and forth between the two players, the ball appears to the players to move north at a speed of around 2 m/s and then south at the speed of 2 m/s.

Is Einstein’s theory of relativity hard to read?

Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity is famous for predicting some really weird but true phenomena, like astronauts aging slower than people on Earth and solid objects changing their shapes at high speeds. But the thing is, if you pick up a copy of Einstein’s original paper on relativity from 1905, it’s a straightforward read.

How did Albert Einstein come up with his most famous equation?

The revolutionary physicist used his imagination rather than fancy math to come up with his most famous and elegant equation. Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity is famous for predicting some really weird but true phenomena, like astronauts aging slower than people on Earth and solid objects changing their shapes at high speeds.

What did Einstein mean by simultaneity?

In short, Einstein realized, simultaneity is what’s relative. Once you accept that, all the strange effects we now associate with relativity are a matter of simple algebra. Einstein dashed off his ideas in a fever pitch and sent his paper in for publication just a few weeks later.

What was Einstein’s discovery in 1905?

May 1905: Lightning Strikes a Moving Train Einstein’s revelation was that observers in relative motion experience time differently: it’s perfectly possible for two events to happen simultaneously from the perspective of one observer, yet happen at different times from the perspective of the other. And both observers would be right.