Theory of Relativity
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:12 am
by The Joker
After discussing and learning about the Chaos Theory (thank you Grandpa), I now present to you the Theory of Relativity.
This is the Special Relativity Theory. I actually had to study this one for school, and no word is lied when I say to you that this theory is one of the most interesting I've ever read and/or studied.
For those that don't know anything or know a little about this subject:
For those that know more about this subject:
According to this theory you could travel 40 years in space, then come back to earth and see the world as it is 80,000 years after you left.
/Discuss
* And please try to keep this thread flame free. If you don't like me and/or don't like this thread, I friendly ask you to leave.*
Thanks, The Joker
This is the Special Relativity Theory. I actually had to study this one for school, and no word is lied when I say to you that this theory is one of the most interesting I've ever read and/or studied.
For those that don't know anything or know a little about this subject:
Spoiler!
''Special relativity is a fundamental physics theory about space and time that was developed by Albert Einstein in 1905[1] as a modification of Newtonian physics (see History of special relativity for a detailed account and the contributions of Hendrik Lorentz and Henri Poincaré). It was created to deal with some pressing theoretical and experimental issues in the physics of the time involving light and electrodynamics. The predictions of special relativity correspond closely to those of Newtonian physics at speeds which are low in comparison to that of light, but diverge rapidly for speeds which are a significant fraction of the speed of light. Special relativity has been experimentally tested on numerous occasions since its inception, and its predictions have been verified by those tests.
Einstein postulated that the speed of light is the same for all observers, irrespective of their motion relative to the light source. This was in total contradiction to classical mechanics, which had been accepted for centuries. Einstein's approach was based on thought experiments and calculations. In 1908, Hermann Minkowski reformulated the theory based on different postulates of a more geometrical nature.[2] His approach depended on the existence of certain inter-relations between space and time, which were considered completely separate in classical physics. This reformulation set the stage for further developments of physics.
Special relativity makes numerous predictions which are incompatible with Newtonian physics (and everyday intuition). The first such prediction described by Einstein is called the relativity of simultaneity, under which observers who are in motion with respect to each other may disagree on whether two events occurred at the same time or one occurred before the other. The other major predictions of special relativity are time dilation (under which a moving clock ticks more slowly than when it is at rest with respect to the observer), length contraction (under which a moving rod may be found to be shorter than when it is at rest with respect to the observer), and the equivalence of mass and energy (written as E=mc2). Special relativity predicts a non-linear velocity addition formula which prevents speeds greater than that of light from being observed. Special relativity also explains why Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism are correct in any frame of reference, and how electric field and magnetic field are two aspects of the same thing.
Special relativity has been tested in many ways, and so far has been proved to be far more accurate than Newtonian mechanics. The most famous of these tests is the Michelson-Morley experiment, the failure of which was one of the things which motivated the creation of special relativity. Other significant tests are the Fizeau experiment (which was first done decades before special relativity was proposed), the detection of the transverse Doppler effect, and the Haefele-Keating experiment. Today, scientists are so comfortable with the idea that the speed of light is always the same that the meter is now defined as being the distance traveled by light in 1/299,792,458th of a second. This means that the speed of light is now defined as being 299,792,458 m/s.''
Einstein postulated that the speed of light is the same for all observers, irrespective of their motion relative to the light source. This was in total contradiction to classical mechanics, which had been accepted for centuries. Einstein's approach was based on thought experiments and calculations. In 1908, Hermann Minkowski reformulated the theory based on different postulates of a more geometrical nature.[2] His approach depended on the existence of certain inter-relations between space and time, which were considered completely separate in classical physics. This reformulation set the stage for further developments of physics.
Special relativity makes numerous predictions which are incompatible with Newtonian physics (and everyday intuition). The first such prediction described by Einstein is called the relativity of simultaneity, under which observers who are in motion with respect to each other may disagree on whether two events occurred at the same time or one occurred before the other. The other major predictions of special relativity are time dilation (under which a moving clock ticks more slowly than when it is at rest with respect to the observer), length contraction (under which a moving rod may be found to be shorter than when it is at rest with respect to the observer), and the equivalence of mass and energy (written as E=mc2). Special relativity predicts a non-linear velocity addition formula which prevents speeds greater than that of light from being observed. Special relativity also explains why Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism are correct in any frame of reference, and how electric field and magnetic field are two aspects of the same thing.
Special relativity has been tested in many ways, and so far has been proved to be far more accurate than Newtonian mechanics. The most famous of these tests is the Michelson-Morley experiment, the failure of which was one of the things which motivated the creation of special relativity. Other significant tests are the Fizeau experiment (which was first done decades before special relativity was proposed), the detection of the transverse Doppler effect, and the Haefele-Keating experiment. Today, scientists are so comfortable with the idea that the speed of light is always the same that the meter is now defined as being the distance traveled by light in 1/299,792,458th of a second. This means that the speed of light is now defined as being 299,792,458 m/s.''
For those that know more about this subject:
Spoiler!
''Special relativity (SR) (also known as the special theory of relativity or STR) is the physical theory of measurement in inertial frames of reference proposed in 1905 by Albert Einstein (after considerable contributions of Hendrik Lorentz and Henri Poincaré) in the paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies".[1] It generalizes Galileo's principle of relativity – that all uniform motion is relative, and that there is no absolute and well-defined state of rest (no privileged reference frames) – from mechanics to all the laws of physics, including both the laws of mechanics and of electrodynamics, whatever they may be. In addition, special relativity incorporates the principle that the speed of light is the same for all inertial observers regardless of the state of motion of the source.[2]
This theory has a wide range of consequences which have been experimentally verified.[3] Special relativity overthrows Newtonian notions of absolute space and time by stating that time and space are perceived differently by observers in different states of motion. It yields the equivalence of matter and energy, as expressed in the mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc2, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum. The predictions of special relativity agree well with Newtonian mechanics in their common realm of applicability, specifically in experiments in which all velocities are small compared to the speed of light.
The theory is termed "special" because it applies the principle of relativity only to inertial frames. Einstein developed general relativity to apply the principle generally, that is, to any frame, and that theory includes the effects of gravity. Strictly, special relativity cannot be applied in accelerating frames or in gravitational fields.
Special relativity reveals that c is not just the velocity of a certain phenomenon, namely the propagation of electromagnetic radiation (light)—but rather a fundamental feature of the way space and time are unified as spacetime. A consequence of this is that it is impossible for any particle that has mass to be accelerated to the speed of light.''
This theory has a wide range of consequences which have been experimentally verified.[3] Special relativity overthrows Newtonian notions of absolute space and time by stating that time and space are perceived differently by observers in different states of motion. It yields the equivalence of matter and energy, as expressed in the mass-energy equivalence formula E = mc2, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum. The predictions of special relativity agree well with Newtonian mechanics in their common realm of applicability, specifically in experiments in which all velocities are small compared to the speed of light.
The theory is termed "special" because it applies the principle of relativity only to inertial frames. Einstein developed general relativity to apply the principle generally, that is, to any frame, and that theory includes the effects of gravity. Strictly, special relativity cannot be applied in accelerating frames or in gravitational fields.
Special relativity reveals that c is not just the velocity of a certain phenomenon, namely the propagation of electromagnetic radiation (light)—but rather a fundamental feature of the way space and time are unified as spacetime. A consequence of this is that it is impossible for any particle that has mass to be accelerated to the speed of light.''
According to this theory you could travel 40 years in space, then come back to earth and see the world as it is 80,000 years after you left.
/Discuss
* And please try to keep this thread flame free. If you don't like me and/or don't like this thread, I friendly ask you to leave.*
Thanks, The Joker
that forum needs an offtopic section where i can post to rake up my postcounts so i can look intelligent 
just do something you like and time flows xD and time can run slower,, when ur at work