During the period of cosmic inflation the universe underwent an extremely rapid

Question

During the period of cosmic inflation the universe underwent an extremely rapid expansion, increasing its size by a factor of 1050 in a time of perhaps 10-32 seconds. Did this action violate the postulate of Special Relativity that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light? A. No. The universe was so small at the beginning of the inflationary epoch that even an expansion by fifty orders of magnitude did not take it far enough in 10-32 seconds to exceed the speed of light. B. The postulate of Special Relativity was not violated because the curvature of space was so extreme at this time that the distance objects moved through during this 10-32 seconds was foreshortened so that the speed was less than the speed of light. C. Yes, but this was before the Planck time, and the laws of physics as we presently understand them, including the laws of Special Relativity, did not yet apply. D. The postulate of Special Relativity was not violated because it was the dimensions of space which were expanding. The postulate applies to objects moving through space. During the period of cosmic inflation the universe underwent an extremely rapid expansion, increasing its size by a factor of 1050 in a time of perhaps 10-32 seconds. Did this action violate the postulate of Special Relativity that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light? A. No. The universe was so small at the beginning of the inflationary epoch that even an expansion by fifty orders of magnitude did not take it far enough in 10-32 seconds to exceed the speed of light. B. The postulate of Special Relativity was not violated because the curvature of space was so extreme at this time that the distance objects moved through during this 10-32 seconds was foreshortened so that the speed was less than the speed of light. C. Yes, but this was before the Planck time, and the laws of physics as we presently understand them, including the laws of Special Relativity, did not yet apply. D. The postulate of Special Relativity was not violated because it was the dimensions of space which were expanding. The postulate applies to objects moving through space.

Explanation / Answer

B. The postulate of Special Relativity was not violated because the curvature of space was so extreme at this time that the distance objects moved through during this 10-32seconds was foreshortened so that the speed was less than the speed of light.

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