Question

Albert Einstein first hypothesized that a large object, such as a planet, bends the space around it. This hypothesis became part of the theory of relativity, which is about how objects affect the space and time around them.

What did this hypothesis most likely need before it became part of an accepted theory?

Answer 1

Einstein's hypothesis needed empirical verification to become part of the accepted theory of relativity, including observational evidence from the 1919 solar eclipse and the motion of Mercury's orbit.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before Albert Einstein's hypothesis became an accepted part of the theory of relativity, it most likely needed empirical verification through observation and experimentation. As with any scientific theory, Einstein's innovative ideas on how large objects bend the space around them, and hence affect time, had to be compared against experimental evidence. These ideas were a significant shift from previous understandings of physics and needed robust evidence to gain acceptance.

The first verification of Einstein's theory came during the 1919 solar eclipse, when the bending of starlight around the sun confirmed his predictions. Additionally, discrepancies in Mercury's orbit, which could not be explained by Newton's laws alone, were accurately accounted for by general relativity, providing further support for the theory.

Thus, Einstein's hypothesis required experimental confirmation to validate the extraordinary claims about the nature of space, time, and gravity. These verifications were essential in transforming the hypothesis into a widely accepted scientific theory.