The Revolution of Spacetime: The Constancy of the Speed of Light and the Birth of Special Relativity-The Reconstruction of Physical Concepts from Maxwell to Einstein

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jnse.202517513

Author(s)

Yiyang Chen

Affiliation(s)

Teensen Genesis School, Nanchang, China

Abstract

By the late 19th century, the classical physics system harboured profound crises beneath its glorious achievements. One of the "two dark clouds" identified by Lord Kelvin-the contradiction between the constancy of the speed of light and the aether model-ultimately gave rise to relativity, one of the twin pillars of modern physics. This paper systematically traces the evolution of the concept of the constancy of light speed, from Maxwell's electromagnetic theory, the proposal and predicament of the aether hypothesis, and the "zero result" of the Michelson-Morley experiment, through the transitional contributions of Lorentz and Poincaré, to culminate in Einstein's 1905 formulation of the special theory of relativity. It delves into how Einstein, through the pivotal step of redefining "simultaneity," reconstructed the concept of spacetime with two elegant postulates, thereby deriving the core tenets of special relativity. Furthermore, the article examines the experimental verification of special relativity, its scientific philosophy and methodological characteristics, alongside its profound philosophical implications and scientific value, revealing how this revolution in physics fundamentally transformed humanity's understanding of the cosmos.

Keywords

Special Relativity; Constancy of the Speed of Light; Simultaneity; Ether; Lorentz Transformation; Einstein

References

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