Theory of General Relativity
The part of the wide-ranging physical theory of relativity was formed by the German-born physicist Albert Einstein. It was conceived by Einstein in 1916. General relativity is concerned with gravity, one of the fundamental forces in the universe. Gravity defines macroscopic behavior, so general relativity describes large-scale physical phenomena.
General relativity follows Einstein’s principle of equivalence: on a local scale, it is impossible to distinguish between physical effects due to gravity and those due to acceleration. Gravity is treated as a geometric phenomenon that arises from the curvature of space-time. The solution of the field equations that describe general relativity can yield answers to different physical situations, such as planetary dynamics, the birth and death of stars, black holes, and the evolution of the universe. General relativity has been experimentally verified by observations of gravitational lenses, the orbit of the planet Mercury, the dilation of time in Earth’s gravitational field, and gravitational waves from merging black holes.
Gravity is most accurately described by the general theory of relativity, which describes gravity not as a force, but a consequence of the curvature of space time caused by the uneven distribution of mass.
As he worked out the equations for his general theory of relativity, Einstein realized that massive objects caused a distortion in space-time. Imagine setting a large body in the center of a trampoline. The body would press down into the fabric, causing it to dimple. A marble rolled around the edge would spiral inward toward the body, pulled in much the same way that the gravity of a planet pulls at rocks in space.
General relativity follows Einstein’s principle of equivalence: on a local scale, it is impossible to distinguish between physical effects due to gravity and those due to acceleration. Gravity is treated as a geometric phenomenon that arises from the curvature of space-time. The solution of the field equations that describe general relativity can yield answers to different physical situations, such as planetary dynamics, the birth and death of stars, black holes, and the evolution of the universe. General relativity has been experimentally verified by observations of gravitational lenses, the orbit of the planet Mercury, the dilation of time in Earth’s gravitational field, and gravitational waves from merging black holes.
Gravity is most accurately described by the general theory of relativity, which describes gravity not as a force, but a consequence of the curvature of space time caused by the uneven distribution of mass.
As he worked out the equations for his general theory of relativity, Einstein realized that massive objects caused a distortion in space-time. Imagine setting a large body in the center of a trampoline. The body would press down into the fabric, causing it to dimple. A marble rolled around the edge would spiral inward toward the body, pulled in much the same way that the gravity of a planet pulls at rocks in space.