Relativity

Special Relativity

Albert Einstein produced his theory of special relativity in 1905. This is based on two principles:

►    The laws of physics are the same for all observers who move at a constant speed relative to each other

►    There is a maximum speed at which energy can travel within the Universe

Although they sound simple, these two principles have widespread consequences.

General Relativity

In 1915 he extended these ideas to include a set of equations describing space and time, the theory of general relativity.

These two theories have been very successful. Unfortunately they are not compatible with that other great branch of science which was being discovered at about the same time: quantum mechanics.