Question

Which of Einstein’s postulates of special relativity includes a concept that does not fit with the ideas of classical physics? Explain.

a) The first postulate, stating that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion.

b) The second postulate, asserting that the speed of light is constant for all observers.

c) Both postulates equally challenge classical physics.

d) None of the postulates contradicts classical physics.

Answer 1

Einstein's second postulate of special relativity, which states that the speed of light is constant in all inertial frames of reference, challenges the concepts of classical physics.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept that does not fit with the ideas of classical physics is included in Einstein's second postulate of special relativity. This postulate asserts that the speed of light in a vacuum is a constant at 3.00 × 108 m/s, regardless of the relative motion of the source or the observer.

This idea challenged classical physics, which did not specify a constant speed of light in all reference frames, as classical physics would expect the speed of light to be dependent on the motion of the source and the observer.