Special relativity is a theory developed by Albert Einstein in 1905 to explain the relationship between space and time. It states that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion and that the speed of light in a vacuum is always constant.
Unlike Newton's laws of motion, which assume that time and space are absolute, special relativity takes into account that they are relative to the observer's frame of reference. It also introduces the concept of the invariant speed of light, which is not included in Newton's laws.
The equation for time dilation in special relativity is t' = t√(1-v^2/c^2), where t' is the time measured by an observer in motion, t is the time measured by an observer at rest, v is the relative velocity between the two observers, and c is the speed of light.
Yes, special relativity has been extensively experimentally tested and has been found to be accurate in predicting the behavior of objects moving at high speeds. For example, the famous Michelson-Morley experiment in 1887 provided evidence for the constancy of the speed of light, which is a fundamental principle of special relativity.
Special relativity has had numerous practical applications, such as in GPS technology, particle accelerators, and nuclear energy. It also plays a crucial role in our understanding of the behavior of stars, galaxies, and the entire universe through the theory of general relativity, which is an extension of special relativity.