⚡ Special Relativity Lab
Special Relativity Simulator — Spacetime & Doppler
This special relativity simulator covers four animated effects with a velocity slider reaching 0.9999c and eight quick-set velocity buttons. Time Dilation shows two analog clocks — Earth and Ship — ticking at different rates with a bar comparing elapsed times. Length Contraction displays rest and contracted rulers plus a moving spacecraft. Spacetime mode renders a Minkowski diagram with stationary (blue) and moving (red) worldlines, light cones (dashed gold), simultaneity line (purple), and labeled events. Doppler mode shows expanding wavefronts and blueshift/redshift markers on a visible-light spectrum bar.
What you can do in this simulation
- Set velocity from 0 to 0.9999c with a slider and 8 quick-set buttons (0.1c–0.9999c)
- Switch between Time Dilation, Length Contraction, Spacetime, and Doppler modes
- Read γ factor, time dilation, contracted length, blueshift, and redshift values
- Explore Minkowski spacetime diagram with worldlines, light cones, and events
- See visible-light spectrum bars with relativistic Doppler shift markers
Concepts covered
special relativity · time dilation · length contraction · Lorentz factor · Minkowski spacetime · relativistic Doppler effect
Related simulations
- Relativistic Mechanics Simulator — Time Dilation & E=mc²
- Flash Speed Physics — Relativity & Kinetic Energy
- Acoustics & Sound Waves — Interactive Simulator
- Angular Momentum Simulator: The Spinning Skater Effect
- Black Hole Simulator — Gravity & Spacetime
- Brachistochrone Curve Simulator - Fastest Ramp
Browse all Physics simulations →
Related reading
Free to use in your browser — no signup required. Found a bug or have an idea to make it better? Tell us.
Finished experimenting?
Save one completion to this browser's signed guest ledger, or directly to your account when signed in.