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Was not the Special Theory of Relativity and the Lorentz Transformation created simply to explain why the Michelson-Morely experiment did not detect any change in light caused by the ether?
George Francis FitzGerald (1851-1901).Originally posted by Chi Meson
It was an Irish physicisist (what was his name?) who first suggested that the null result of the M-M experiment might be due to a compression of the apparatus along the direction of motion of the ether.
Originally posted by grounded
Was not the Special Theory of Relativity and the Lorentz Transformation created simply to explain why the Michelson-Morely experiment did not detect any change in light caused by the ether?
Special Relativity is a theory proposed by Albert Einstein in 1905 that explains the relationship between space and time. It states that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion, regardless of their relative velocity.
Special Relativity differs from Newtonian mechanics in that it takes into account the effects of high speeds and the concept of space-time. It replaces the concept of absolute time with the idea that time is relative and can vary depending on the observer's frame of reference.
The equation for time dilation in Special Relativity is t = t0 / √(1 - v^2/c^2), where t0 is the time in the stationary frame, t is the time in the moving frame, v is the relative velocity between the two frames, and c is the speed of light.
The speed of light, denoted as c, is a fundamental constant in Special Relativity. It is the maximum speed at which all matter and information in the universe can travel. According to the theory, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.
Yes, Special Relativity has been extensively tested and is used in many technological advancements, such as GPS systems. It also explains phenomena like time dilation in space travel and the relationship between mass and energy in nuclear reactions.