AUG 24, 2015

Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity Explained

WRITTEN BY: Akshay Masand

Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is one of the most significant scientific advances of our time. The concept of relativity was not introduced by Einstein, but he was a major contributor with the recognition that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant and an absolute physical boundary for motion. The theory does not have much impact on one’s day-to-day life since we travel at speeds much slower than the speed of light. However, for objects travelling near light speed, 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 derived the equation, E = mc2, which exposes the equivalence of mass and energy.

When Einstein applied his theory to gravitational fields, he derived the "curved space-time continuum" where massive objects can cause distortions in the two-dimensional surface of space and time. This aspect of relativity explained the phenomena of light bending around the sun, predicted black holes as well as the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB) -- a discovery rendering fundamental anomalies in the classic Steady-State hypothesis.