PeterS



**S** **pecial Relativity is a very interesting topic because it is mathematically supported, we lack the technology to prove it, and it defies previous physical laws.**  In space there is no way to tell whether you are moving or the object near you is moving. Movement is based on a reference point, which means that when a space shuttle reaches space, they are no longer able to come up with their own velocity. They need it to be based on of something. From earth they have to determine the velocity of the space ship from earth as that reference point. This means that every movement is relative to a reference point. (Stern)

The equation E=MC^2 proves that energy and mass are interchangeable, which means that energy can be transformed into mass and mass can be transformed into energy. Now this doesn't mean that when you turn on a light bulb, the light energy from that bulb can randomly take on mass. This does not happen because you would need an a lot more energy than that in order to have that energy turn into mass. Now why is this relevant to how movement is relative to a reference point? This is relevant because of the value of "C" in that equation. "C" represents the speed of light. In theory nothing can exceed the speed of light, which is the reason why "C" is in that equation, it is the limit of speed for any object. The speed of light is also a constant value. For example if someone were to release a projectile form a moving object in the direction in which the object is moving, the velocity of that projectile would be the velocity of the object plus the velocity in which the projectile was released. This is not true with the speed of light. Light will always reach its destination at the same velocity regardless of speed of the light emitting object. This proves that when in uniform movement, there is no experiment within the uniformity to find the velocity of the uniform movement system. This includes the speed of light tests, although when viewed from a reference point out of the uniform movement system, the light test would have a completely different result. (Dine)

At this time the theory of relativity remains a theory because it has yet to be proven. We lack the technology to prove that nothing can exceed the speed of light, although we are almost certain that it is in fact the truth. Without that proven, the theory will remain a theory. To prove Einstein was right we will still need to do extensive experiments and tests. Physicists are already doing tests with particle accelerators to see just how fast they can speed up atoms before they transform in to light energy. A particle accelerator is a device that speeds up electrically charged particles with electronic fields. Thus far no atom has reached the speed of light, some have came close but than transformed in to light energy, supporting Einstein's theory. (Stern)

The Theory of Relativity was a revolutionary idea, explaining what was once unexplainable with previous physical laws. Special relativity is essentially a modified version of Galilean relativity. "Suppose, for example, two jet aircraft, Jet A and Jet B, are flying in the same direction. Jet A is traveling 30 kilometers per hour (kph) faster than Jet B. A flight attendant in Jet A is walking at a speed of 5 kph in Jet A's direction of flight. A Galilean transformation will give the speed of the flight attendant relative to Jet B. The transformation will be an addition: 30 kph + 5 kph = 35 kph. Now, suppose the attendant turns around and walks at a speed of 5 kph in the opposite direction. The Galilean transformation will be a subtraction: 30 kph - 5 kph = 25 kph." (Dine). Many of their points are incredibly similar, although the one aspect that failed to follow with what Galileo proposed was light. Light does not work the same way as objects. At Galileo's time, the motion of light never came to mind, they also lacked the technology to add light into his idea of relativity. (Dine)

The theory of relativity is supported by mathematics, but we lack the technology to prove it is actually true, and it defies previous physical laws. Albert Einstein came up with the solution to the problem of where light fits into Galileo's relativity. His theory is the basis of modern physics. The idea that mass and energy are interchangeable and the speed of light is the limit of the speed of mass is a revolutionary idea that was unheard of for its time. The idea that all movement is based on a reference point was also revolutionary in Galileo's time. Although Einstein's theory has yet to be proven it proves to be very promising.

Works Cited:

Dine, Michael. "NASA - ." __ NASA - __. 29 Nov. 2007. 5 Feb. 2009 .


 * It deeply describes all aspects of the theory of relativity and comes from a highly credited governmental source.

Stern, David. " The Theory of Relativity." __ NASA Polar, Wind, and Geotail Projects __. 20 May 2008. 5 Feb. 2009 .


 * This explains almost exactly what we went over in class but gets more in depth. This is a reliable source because it is a governmental source written by a person who is a doctor of physics.