What do I need to know to understand general relativity?

What do I need to know to understand general relativity?

What Are The Prerequisites For General Relativity?

• A basic understanding of special relativity.
• Electromagnetism (optional, but helpful)
• Newtonian mechanics (optional, but helpful)
• A solid understanding of calculus and vectors.
• Basics of linear algebra (optional, but helpful)
• Basics of tensors and differential geometry.

How do we explain gravity according to general relativity?

GETTING A GRIP ON GRAVITY Einstein’s general theory of relativity explains gravity as a distortion of space (or more precisely, spacetime) caused by the presence of matter or energy. A massive object generates a gravitational field by warping the geometry of the surrounding spacetime.

What do you understand by gravity?

Gravity is a force which tries to pull two objects toward each other. Anything which has mass also has a gravitational pull. The more massive an object is, the stronger its gravitational pull is. Gravity is what gives you weight. It is the force that pulls on all of the mass in your body.

What is gravity in the theory of general relativity quizlet?

This idea leads us to a view of gravity in which time runs more slowly in gravitational fields, black holes can exist in spacetime, and the universe has no center or edges. It also predicts the existence of gravitational waves propagating through space.

Is gravity understood?

We don’t really know. However, if we are to be honest, we do not know what gravity “is” in any fundamental way – we only know how it behaves. Here is what we do know… Gravity is a force of attraction that exists between any two masses, any two bodies, any two particles.

What is the general theory of relativity and how does it work?

For 100 years, the general theory of relativity has been a pillar of modern physics. The basic idea is so elegant that you don’t need superpowers to understand it. Begin with Isaac Newton’s first law of motion: An object remains in uniform motion unless acted on by a force.

How has Einstein’s theory of gravity been proven?

Albert Einstein proposed that massive objects warp and curve the universe, resulting in other objects moving on or orbiting along those curves—and that this is what we experience as gravity This theory, general relativity, has led to a number of predictions that have held up to experimental testing

What should I study before studying general relativity?

Personally, I’m more of the opinion that one should go and learn other physics before tackling general relativity. A solid background in classical mechanics with exposure to Hamiltonians, Lagrangians, and action principles at least.

How does gravity affect the passage of time?

Gravity slows the passage of time. Similar to how the passage of time is changed under special relativity, general relativity predicts that massive objects will also dilate time. The more massive the object, the more noticeable the effect.