Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and the Constant Speed of Light
Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, published in 1905, revolutionized physics by proposing that the speed of light in a vacuum, denoted as \( c \), is constant and universal. This principle, central to special relativity, challenges classical Newtonian mechanics and introduces profound concepts like time dilation and length contraction.
Special Relativity: Constant and Universal Speed
Einstein's theory asserts that the speed of light remains unchanged regardless of the observer's motion or the motion of the light source. This constant speed, approximately 299,792,458 meters per second, suggests that space and time are interconnected in what Einstein termed spacetime. Time dilation predicts that time moves slower for objects traveling at high velocities relative to a stationary observer, while length contraction implies that such objects appear shorter in the direction of their travel.
