Einstein Special Relativity

Question 1

What is an inertial frame of reference?

Answer 1

A frame of reference that moves at a constant velocity relative to another. It is not accelerating or rotating.

Question 2

To what kind of frames does Einstein’s theory of special relativity apply?

Answer 2

Only to inertial frames of reference—those that are not accelerating or rotating.

Question 3

What is the first postulate of Einstein’s special relativity?

Answer 3

The speed of light in free space is invariant—it is the same for all observers, regardless of the motion of the source or the observer.

Question 4

What does it mean that the speed of light is invariant?

Answer 4

It means that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant for all observers, regardless of their relative motion or the motion of the light source.

Question 5

What is the second postulate of special relativity?

Answer 5

The laws of physics have the same form in all inertial frames—they behave identically in any non-accelerating frame of reference.