时间、空间与运动——狭义相对论及其伟大科学意义

Space,time and motion——On the special theory of relativity and its far-reaching scientific significance

介绍狭义相对论诞生的历史背景,爱因斯坦创立狭义相对论的新思维和创造性,发现自然界两条基本原理及其建立新的相对性时空结构理论及新的运动学定律的思路历程.由此揭示和证明时空相对性结构是一切自然界定律对相对运动保持其不变性和对称性的基础,也是自然界因果关系成立的基础,最后介绍从狭义相对论得出的自然界的一系列新奇结论和定律.

A review of the historical background of origins of the special theory of relativity is given. Next it points out that by critically examinating the physical significance of the concepts of spatial and temporal intervals based on a careful definition of the simultaneity of distant events, Einstein discovered that the concept of a universal or absolute time, on which Newtonian mechanics and the Galilean transformations between the coordinates of two inertial frames of reference are based, has to be abandoned, and instead he put forward new concepts and laws of relative space and time and new kinematics for all of physics based on two postulates, the relativity principle and the principle of the constancy of the velocity of light. It indicates that Einstein＇s new kinematics is the foundation of all laws of physics which continue to preserve their invariance and symmetry in all of uniform motion, and also the foundation of the existence of the causality in all the natural phenomena. Finally, the major constributions of STR to physics are presented.