Why is General Relativity general?
General relativity has developed into an essential tool in modern astrophysics. It provides the foundation for the current understanding of black holes, regions of space where the gravitational effect is strong enough that even light cannot escape.
Who proposed the term general relativity?
physicist Albert Einstein
General relativity is physicist Albert Einstein’s understanding of how gravity affects the fabric of space-time. The theory, which Einstein published in 1915, expanded the theory of special relativity that he had published 10 years earlier.
How did Einstein derive general relativity?
Since Einstein believed that the laws of physics were local, described by local fields, he concluded from this that spacetime could be locally curved. This led him to study Riemannian geometry, and to formulate general relativity in this language.
What is general about the general theory of relativity?
Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity holds that what we perceive as the force of gravity arises from the curvature of space and time. The scientist proposed that objects such as the sun and the Earth change this geometry.
What is the equation of general relativity?
The cosmological constant is a quantity used in general relativity to describe some properties of space-time. Here’s how it goes. Maybe gravity is the curvature of space-time caused by the mass-energy of stuff within it plus the energy of space itself….cosmological constant.
| Rμν − (½R − Λ)gμν = | 8πG | Tμν |
|---|---|---|
| c4 |
What does general relativity mean?
General Relativity. A geometrical theory of gravity developed by Albert Einstein in which gravity’s effects are a consequence of the curvature of four-dimensional space-time.
What is the general relativity equation?
The General Theory of Relativity can actually be described using a very simple equation: R = GE (although Einstein ‘s own formulation of his field equations are much more complex).
What does Einstein’s theory of relativity explain?
Albert Einstein, in his theory of special relativity, determined that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers, and he showed that the speed of light within a vacuum is the same no matter the speed at which an observer travels.
What is the special theory of relativity?
Special relativity (or the special theory of relativity) is a theory in physics that was developed and explained by Albert Einstein in 1905. It applies to all physical phenomena, so long as gravitation is not significant. Special relativity applies to Minkowski space, or “flat spacetime” (phenomena which are not influenced by gravitation).