Explanation:
Lorentz contraction is a strange but real effect of Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity. It tells us that when an object moves extremely fast—close to the speed of light—it appears shorter in the direction it is moving, but only to an outside observer who is not moving with the object.
For example, imagine a spaceship traveling past Earth at an incredible speed. To the astronauts inside the spaceship, everything feels normal, and the ship’s length remains the same. But to someone watching from Earth, the spaceship looks shorter from front to back. This shortening happens only along the direction of motion—not across the width or height.
The faster the object moves, the more noticeable this shortening becomes. However, at everyday speeds, like cars or airplanes, the effect is so tiny that it’s practically impossible to detect. Lorentz contraction becomes significant only when speeds approach the speed of light, revealing just how flexible and surprising space and time can be at high velocities.