Lorentz transformations are mathematical equations that describe how the measurements of space and time coordinates between different inertial reference frames are related in the theory of special relativity. These transformations were developed by Hendrik Lorentz and later incorporated into Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity.
One of the key implications of the Lorentz transformations is that they preserve the invariant speed of light in all inertial reference frames. The speed of light in a vacuum, denoted by the symbol "c," is considered constant and independent of the motion of the source or the observer. The Lorentz transformations provide a framework that ensures this constancy.
The Lorentz transformations include both the time dilation and length contraction effects that occur as objects move relative to an observer. As a consequence of these transformations, when observers in different inertial frames measure the speed of light using their own measurements of time and distance, they will always obtain the same value for the speed of light—c.
This result contradicts the intuitive classical Newtonian notion of adding velocities. In classical physics, if you have a moving source of light and an observer moving relative to it, their relative velocities would add up. However, special relativity, based on Lorentz transformations, shows that this is not the case. Instead, it demonstrates that the laws of physics must be consistent in all inertial frames, leading to the postulate that the speed of light is the same for all observers regardless of their motion.
In summary, Lorentz transformations provide a mathematical framework that supports the constancy of the speed of light in all inertial frames, as observed in experiments and confirmed by numerous empirical results.