Can You Explain the Basic Equations of General Relativity in 20 Minutes?

Thread starter LLT
Start date Apr 30, 2004
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General General relativity Relativity

In summary, General Relativity is a theory of gravity developed by Albert Einstein in 1915. It differs from Newton's theory of gravity in that it describes gravity as a curvature of space and time, accounting for the effects of acceleration and spacetime curvature. Some real-life applications of General Relativity include predicting Mercury's orbit and the bending of light, and it is used in modern technologies such as GPS systems. While there are other theories of gravity, General Relativity is the most widely accepted and successful, but it can still be tested and potentially proven wrong through experiments and observations.

Apr 30, 2004

LLT

any basic equations describing general relativity (the most basic ones...) (need reply in 20 minutes)
and explain how it works...

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Apr 30, 2004

chroot

Staff Emeritus

Science Advisor

Gold Member

Einstein's equation:

[tex]R_{\mu\nu} - \frac{1}{2} g_{\mu\nu} R = 8 \pi \kappa T_{\mu\nu}[/tex]

- Warren

Apr 30, 2004

LLT

thank you...

Related to Can You Explain the Basic Equations of General Relativity in 20 Minutes?

1. What is General Relativity?

General Relativity is a theory of gravity that was developed by Albert Einstein in 1915. It describes how the force of gravity is not a force between masses, but rather a curvature of space and time caused by the presence of mass and energy.

2. How does General Relativity differ from Newton's theory of gravity?

Newton's theory of gravity describes gravity as a force between masses, while General Relativity describes gravity as a curvature of space and time. General Relativity also accounts for the effects of acceleration and the curvature of spacetime, while Newton's theory does not.

3. What are some real-life applications of General Relativity?

General Relativity has been confirmed through numerous experiments and has been used to make accurate predictions, such as the precession of Mercury's orbit and the bending of light around massive objects. It is also used in modern technologies, such as GPS systems, which need to account for the effects of gravity on time and space.

4. Is General Relativity the only theory of gravity?

No, there are other theories of gravity, such as Newton's theory and the modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) theory. However, General Relativity is the most widely accepted and successful theory of gravity, as it has been extensively tested and confirmed by experiments.

5. Can General Relativity be tested or proven wrong?

Yes, General Relativity can be tested and potentially proven wrong. Scientists continue to conduct experiments and observations to test the predictions of General Relativity and to look for any inconsistencies or discrepancies. So far, General Relativity has passed all tests with flying colors, but it is possible that it may be revised or replaced by a more comprehensive theory in the future.