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In physics, the special theory of relativity, or special relativity for short, is a scientific theory of the relationship between space and time. In Albert Einstein 's 1905 paper, On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies , the theory is presented as being based on just two postulates : [ p 1 ] [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
Special relativity is a theory of the structure of spacetime. It was introduced in Einstein's 1905 paper "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (for the contributions of many other physicists and mathematicians, see History of special relativity). Special relativity is based on two postulates which are contradictory in classical mechanics:
1. First postulate (principle of relativity) The laws of physics take the same form in all inertial frames of reference.. 2. Second postulate (invariance of c) . As measured in any inertial frame of reference, light is always propagated in empty space with a definite velocity c that is independent of the state of motion of the emitting body.
The theory of special relativity plays an important role in the modern theory of classical electromagnetism.It gives formulas for how electromagnetic objects, in particular the electric and magnetic fields, are altered under a Lorentz transformation from one inertial frame of reference to another.
The history of special relativity consists of many theoretical results and empirical findings obtained by Albert A. Michelson, Hendrik Lorentz, Henri Poincaré and others. It culminated in the theory of special relativity proposed by Albert Einstein and subsequent work of Max Planck, Hermann Minkowski and others.
Numerical relativity, a subfield of computational physics that aims to establish numerical solutions to Einstein's field equations in general relativity; Principle of relativity, used in Einstein's theories and derived from Galileo's principle; Theory of relativity, a general treatment that refers to both special relativity and general relativity
Minkowski's model follows special relativity, where motion causes time dilation changing the scale applied to the frame in motion and shifts the phase of light. Minkowski space is a pseudo-Euclidean space equipped with an isotropic quadratic form called the spacetime interval or the Minkowski norm squared .
Test theories of special relativity are flat spacetime theories which are used to test the predictions of special relativity. They differ from the two-postulate special relativity by differentiating between the one-way speed of light and the two-way speed of light. This results in different notions of time simultaneity.