Speed of Light: A Critical Re-Examination Invariance, Motion, and Reference Frames

This paper critically examines the long-standing assumption that the velocity of light is invariant in all inertial frames of reference. Drawing on classical definitions of motion from Galileo and Newton, along with the historical development of wave concepts such as wavelength and frequency, the study argues that velocity-whether of particles or waves-is inherently frame-dependent. The Michelson-Morley experiment and its null result are revisited, not as definitive proof of invariance, but as a catalyst for the emergence of new theoretical frameworks. By reviewing classical mechanics, wave motion, and modern interpretations of light as a particle-wave duality, the study seeks to highlight the interplay between mathematical formalisms and physical reality, questioning foundational assumptions within Lorentz transformations and the Special Theory of Relativity.