Length Contraction:
A Simulation

How it works

1. Use the slider to adjust the spaceship's speed as a fraction of the speed of light, c.

2. The simulation calculates the contracted length.

3. As the moving spaceship travels, its displayed length shortens relative to the stationary observer's spaceship.

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About

 An observer at rest will measure a moving object as being shorter than it would be if it were stationary. This effect becomes significant at speeds approaching the speed of light and is a direct consequence of Einstein’s Lorentz transformations. This simulation provides an interactive way to explore how length contraction occurs. By adjusting the spaceship’s velocity, you can see how increasing speed causes its length to visibly shrink relative to a stationary observer.