Special relativity

This page contains an overview of those of our Spotlights on Relativity dealing with the foundations and applications of the special theory of relativity. In the category Basics, there is a text dealing with the meaning of "relativity"; under the heading Time, you will find texts dealing with simultaneity, time dilation and the famous travelling twins, while under Energy and mass, there is some information about Einstein's best-known formula. Under Miscellaneous, you will find a text describing all relativity-related Nobel prizes.

A brief overview of special relativity can be found in our introduction Elementary Einstein, in particular in the chapter Special relativity.

Basics

	The dialectic of relativity How relativity can reconcile statements that, at first glance, appear to be contradictory

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Special relativity and time

More about simultaneity, time dilation and the famous case of the travelling twin

	The definition of "now" Why it is necessary to define simultaneity, and how best to go about defining it.
	Time dilation on the road How you can picture the relativity of simultaneity and time dilation, using a simple geometric analogy
	The case of the travelling twins Why the so-called "twin paradox" isn't really a paradox
	Twins on the road How one can picture the situation of the travelling twin, using a simple geometric analogy

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Energy and mass

Some background information about the most famous formula in all of physics

	From E=mc² to the atomic bomb The subtle connections between Einstein's formula, nuclear fission and nuclear fusion
	Is the whole the sum of its parts? Why Einstein's famous formula tells us that the whole, as far as mass is concerned, is often less than the sum of its parts

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Miscellaneous

	Einstein's Nobel heritage (also in General relativity) An overview of Nobel prizes connected with relativistic physics

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