What is General: Definition and 1000 Discussions

A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, or marines.In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel.The term general is used in two ways: as the generic title for all grades of general officer and as a specific rank.
It originates in the 16th century, as a shortening of captain general, which rank was taken from Middle French capitaine général.
The adjective general had been affixed to officer designations since the late medieval period to indicate relative superiority or an extended jurisdiction.
Today, the title of general is known in some countries as a four-star rank. However, different countries use different systems of stars or other insignia for senior ranks. It has a NATO rank scale code of OF-9 and is the highest rank currently in use in a number of armies, air forces, and marine organizations.

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  1. Christian Grey

    Couple of questions regarding general relativity?

    It is said that matter curves space and space tells how the matter to move. 1. Suppose I am moving in a street and there is lots of matter like houses etc, how that matter is governing me how to move? 2. And why something say a ball falls downhill from a mountain?, ball should stay at that...
  2. Christian Grey

    How to find gravity using general relativity?

    How to find gravity of an object, like mirror,glass,tree,house etc using general relativity? Because every object exerts gravity.
  3. N

    General Relativity and continuum mechanics

    Hello! I started learning relativity recently and I'm an engineering student. I can't stop drawing similarities between the nature of gravity and behaviour of continuous media in the field of continuum mechanics. Is there some direct connection and if so, has something like this been explored...
  4. F

    X' = ax+b find general solution

    Homework Statement Find general solution of the given problem in the picHomework Equations All I need to know is where they found the fundamental set of solutions. The Attempt at a Solution All I need to know is where they found the fundamental set of solutions. Please see pic. All I want...
  5. J

    General Lorentz transformation, spatial vector components

    Hello, a derivation of the lorentz transformation for an arbitrary direction of the relative velocity often makes use of writing the spatial position vector of an event as the sum of its component parallel and perpendicular to the velocity vector in one inertial frame and then transforming both...
  6. O

    IMSL diagonalizing a general complex matrix (DEVCCG)

    Under some circumstances, whenever I call DEVCCG to diagonalize a general complex matrix, the program gets stuck inside and never returns. I do not even get out an error code so that I may continue with the rest of the program. I assume the iterative diagonalization inside the procedure does not...
  7. Lagraaaange

    Schools General GRE for top schools? Any Weight?

    I will have 1 week to study for general GRE. I hear it has very little impact on admission. Is this true? Is that enough?
  8. S

    Is General GRE Score Important for International Applicants in US PhD Programs?

    Hello! I am in 3rd year of engineering in Biochemical engineering. I want go for a Ph.D in High Energy Physics in the US (and I will be an international applicant). So, I will have to write both the General GRE and Physics GRE. I want to know how important is the General GRE score. Do I need to...
  9. P

    Variable Speed Of Light In General Relativity

    In his book (Relativity) published in 1920 Einstein said that in General Relativity the speed of light is affected by gravity and therefore isn't a constant: In the second place our result shows that, according to the general theory of relativity, the law of the constancy of the velocity of...
  10. E

    Engineering General engineering with specialization in electrical

    Hi, I want to be an engineer but am not completely decided on what kind. I was wondering if I get a general engineering degree and get a specialization in electrical engineering, will this allow me to pursue a job as an electrical/electronics engineer out of college? Any help would be...
  11. I

    Chemistry General Chemistry Moles Question

    This is using dimensional analysis, and I'm stuck on this question, but I'll show what I have so far. The questions is: If there is 3.34x1022 atoms in a CH3OH sample. What is the mass of this sample, how many moles are there of this sample, and how many molecules are in this sample? Initially...
  12. Dale

    Insights Understanding the General Relativity view of gravity on Earth - Comments

    DaleSpam submitted a new PF Insights post Understanding the General Relativity View of Gravity on Earth Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
  13. P

    Hamiltonian of General Relativity

    Pretty straightforward question. The Einstein-Hilbert Action says that the Lagrangian for Gravity is ##L=R(-g)^{1/2}## where ##g## is the determinant of the Metric Tensor and ##R## is the Ricci Scalar (Actually I am not sure if the determinant of the metric should be included there). From this...
  14. S

    Science education vs general science knowledge

    This feels like a strange question but it's something I've often wondered so I was curious about other peoples opinions. I'm currently half way through a Chemistry degree and have been doing reasonably well. However I feel that the chemistry knowledge I have is only good for helping me answer...
  15. wattsAndSquats

    Needing general academic advice and different perspectives

    Evening all, I'm blessed to be doing well in school, on time to graduate, with no major setbacks. However, I have a few worries that I could use some sage advice on. I'm currently a junior in EE and CE. My first BS was in Exercise Science with a gpa of 3.0. I currently have a school GPA of 3.8...
  16. Mr-R

    Schutz page 294 (Deflection of light)

    Hello Everyone, I am working through Schutz's A first Course in General relativity. On page 294 he defines the equations (11.52) to simplify equation (11.49) and calculated the deflection of light around the sun. I know that he wants to simplify it and also to preserve the effect of the mass M...
  17. yeshuamo

    Average general GRE scores at Stanford

    Stanford's Physics profile on GradSchoolShopper.com lists their incoming class's GRE scores as: "The average GRE scores for admitted students in 2014–15 were: Verbal-171, Quantitative–176; Analytical–4.42; Physics Subject–928." How do we interpret these general GRE scores? Everywhere I look...
  18. RJLiberator

    General Understanding of Terms [ Complex Analysis ]

    Hi all, I was unsure where to put this thread as I read the main topic title in the topology/analysis forums and decided to post it here. I am looking for a chart/graph/website that helps me understand the basic terms such as: -neighborhoods -Boundary points -Singularity points - "Function is...
  19. Tony Stark

    General metric and flat metric

    What is the difference between General metric gαβ and flat metric ηβα in GR? Elaborate answers are appreciated.
  20. obstinatus

    Seeking general undergrad advice

    Background: Undergraduate majoring in physics to work in research, hopefully in astrophysics or cosmology. 1.5-2 years behind where I should be academically and (if all goes well) about to start courses relevant to major. My questions are these: 1) How should I study basic mathematics...
  21. S

    What are some recommended resources for studying General Relativity?

    Hi all, I'm preparing for my bachelor thesis. I have to study some articles for the mimetic dark matter. But before this my advisor sad to me to study from Landau Vol. 2 Field Theory some General Relativity(it's my first time that I study it), chapters 10 and 11(Particles in a gravitational...
  22. Tony Stark

    Relativity Books on General Relativity for dummies

    Love to learn GR but lack or dislike doctoral mathematics. Here is a list of books through which one can catch the essence of the subject and also learn its mathematics without much pain to the eyes- 1. At first, one should DEFINITELY refer to...
  23. evinda

    MHB Why is the general solution of this form?

    Hello! (Wave)I found the following in my lecture notes:$$u_t=u_{xx}, x \in \mathbb{R}, t>0 \\ u(x,0)=f(x)$$ $$u(x,t)=X(x)T(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{T'(t)}{T(t)}=\frac{X''(x)}{X(x)}=-\lambda \in \mathbb{R}$$ $$X''(x)+\lambda X(x)=0, x \in \mathbb{R}$$ $$X \text{ bounded }$$ The characteristic...
  24. Dyatlov

    General solution for the time-dependent Schrödinger equation

    Hello! I have two uncertainties (hehe) about two concepts from a QM time-dependent Schrödinger equation video. The video is I cannot move on further if I don't fully grasp everything he explains in the video. My two issues are: 1) The general solution for the time-dependent Schrödinger...
  25. D

    General relativity and curvilinear coordinates

    I have just been asked why we use curvilinear coordinate systems in general relativity. I replied that, from a heuristic point of view, space and time are relative, such that the way in which you measure them is dependent on the reference frame that you observe them in. This implies that...
  26. robphy

    Penn State: General Relativity Centennial Stream Jun 7-12

    This week (Jun 7-12, 2015) at Penn State: General Relativity and Gravitation: A Centennial Perspective http://event.gravity.psu.edu/index.shtml There will be a live stream of the plenary sessions. For the updated schedule and link to the streams, consult...
  27. Dale

    General dipole radiation far field equation

    I am looking for a reference describing the far-field electric and magnetic field of a dipole. However, I want a general formula for an arbitrary scalar function, and not specifically the usual formula which assumes a continuous sinusoid: $$ \mathbf{B} = -\frac{\omega^2 \mu_0 p_0 }{4\pi c}...
  28. popopopd

    Nth order linear ode, why do we have n general solutions?

    hi, I looked up the existence and uniqueness of nth order linear ode and I grasped the idea of them, but still kind of confused why we get n numbers of general solutions.
  29. G

    Why Stick to GR? A Closer Look at the Theory's Successes and Predictions

    Hi, GR explains the perihelion precession of Mercury, the deflection of light and the gravitational redshift pretty accurately. However, predictions for larger scales seem to be quite wrong, and physicists introduce stuff like the cosmological constant, dark matter and energy. Why are they...
  30. B

    Geometry in General Relativity: Round Marble on a Box

    Say you have a box with a round marble on it. Classically I would have no problem describing that, but how is it done in general relativity? Do one just assume that the marble is round and that the box is ... boxy... in the 3D subspace at a certain foil of time? (Foliation is the correct term...
  31. B

    MHB Problem with finding the general solution of an ode

    Hi everyone, I am trying to find the general solution for the following ode: y'' +gy' + 10y = e2xcos(x) The solution states that the answer is y = 1/145 (5cos(x) + 2sin(x))e2x + (Acos(x) + Bsin(x))e-3x I was able to correctly find the homogeneous part of the equation as e-3x (Acos(x) +...
  32. S

    What is the Principle of General Covariance in Physics?

    Hello! I am reading GR and got confused about the principle of General Covariance. The principle of General Covariance says that the laws of physics take the same form in all reference frames. Since the laws are same in all reference frames, any experiment performed should give identical...
  33. evinda

    MHB General solution of Transport equation

    Hello! (Wave) General solution of Transport equation (homogeneous): Method of Characteristics $$u_t+cu_x=0 (\star)$$ We know that if $f: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ is differentiable then $u(x,t)=f(x-ct)$ is a solution of $(\star)$. We will show that each solution of $(\star)$ is of the form...
  34. evinda

    MHB General solution of differential equation

    Hello! (Wave) $$(1-x^2)y''-2xy'+p(p+1)y=0, p \in \mathbb{R} \text{ constant } \\ -1 < x<1$$ At the interval $(-1,1)$ the above differential equation can be written equivalently $$y''+p(x)y'+q(x)y=0, -1<x<1 \text{ where } \\p(x)=\frac{-2x}{1-x^2} \\ q(x)= \frac{p(p+1)}{1-x^2}$$ $p,q$ can be...
  35. J

    Programs Is Harvey Mudd's General Engineering program enough for a career in Aerospace?

    I am compiling a list of schools to apply to once I finish my lower-division coursework at Community College. Harvey Mudd is among the schools I am considering. I know Harvey Mudd is highly-regarded and their engineering program is ranked number 1 among schools where a master's degree is the...
  36. Z

    Comparing the Uncertainty Principle: Griffiths vs. Shankar

    The general Uncertainty Principle is written in Griffiths' Intro to Quantum Mechanics 2nd Ed. Section 3.4, Page 109, Eq. (3.139) without dependence on the wave function itself. While it is written in R. Shankar's Principles of Quantum Mechanics 2nd Ed., Section 9.2, Page 239, Eq. (9.2.12) with a...
  37. PsychonautQQ

    Calculus / general math related question

    Let f and g be twice differentiable real-valued functions. If f'(x) > g'(x) for all values of x, which of the following statements must be true? A) f(x) > g(x) B) f''(x) > g''(x) C) f(x) - f(0) > g(x) - g(0) D) f'(x) - f'(0) > g'(x) - g'(0) E) f''(x) - f''(0) > g''(x) - g''(0) The correct...
  38. W

    General "Methods/Structures" in Programming

    Hi all, I have been teaching myself some programming by using Alice 2.3 freeware. My question is whether/to what degree, the structures used in Alice generalize: Alice's main items are : methods, events, functions, parameters, variables. Is this also the case for general programming...
  39. popopopd

    Existence of general solution, 2nd order ODE

    2nd order ODE has a form y''+p(x)y'+q(x)y=f(x)and if we assume f(x)=/=0 for every x, then y''+p(x)y'+q(x)y=/=0 so in this case we can't specify general solution of 2nd order ode?
  40. Nick666

    Wikipedia article: No time in General Relativity

    "In quantum gravity, the problem of time is a conceptual conflict between general relativity and quantum mechanics. Roughly speaking, the problem of time is that there is none in general relativity. This is because in general relativity, the Hamiltonian is a constraint that must vanish. However...
  41. E

    Vector identity proof in general curvilinear coordinates

    Homework Statement Need to prove that: ,b means partial differentation with respect to b, G is the metric tensor and Γ is Christoffel symbol. I think I could proceed with this quite well if I could understand the hint given, that I should lower the index j. Homework Equations am=Gmjaj...
  42. MTd2

    New first order Lagrangian for General Relativity

    http://arxiv.org/abs/1503.08640 New first order Lagrangian for General Relativity Yannick Herfray, Kirill Krasnov (Submitted on 30 Mar 2015) We describe a new BF-type first-order in derivatives Lagrangian for General Relativity. The Lagrangian depends on a connection field as well as a...
  43. Quarlep

    Speed in General Relativity (I found the picture)

    I found the picture but I painted very wrong .
  44. Quarlep

    Can Speed Exceed the Speed of Light in General Relativity?

    I read somewhere that speed can be higher then c in General Relativity.Can you show me a website
  45. L

    Question about some general potential form

    In paper Phys. Rev. B 29, 3153 – Published 15 March 1984 general potential form is introduced and from that form one can obtain different class of period potential V(u,r)=A(r)\frac{1+e\cos (2\pi u)}{[1+r^2+2r\cos (2\pi u)]^p} ##-1<r<1## , where ##r## is real number, ##m,p## are integers...
  46. S

    General differential equation solution for Kepler Problem

    To be honest, I don't know any physics. I am a high school student who has taken high school physics, but America's education system isn't known for teaching much more than Newton's laws. I have, however, taken Multivariable/Vector calculus, so I have a decent math background. I was wondering...
  47. ltkach2015

    Resolved Shear Stress VS General Shear Stress -Contradiction?

    TERMS: Slip Plane: is the plane that has the densest atomic packing—that is, has the greatest planar density. Slip Direction: corresponds to the direction in this plane that is most closely packed with atoms—that is, has the highest linear density. NOMENCLATURE: θ = angle of the slip plane as...
  48. Tanny 24/7

    Is General Relativity Incomplete? What Is It?

    I read about relativity and some people claim to be incomplete so what is the incompleteness.
  49. Rajkovic

    General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

    Space does not exist, so time can http://arxiv.org/abs/0909.1861 Can someone explain to me, what this article means by "space does not exist"?
  50. J

    Gravity in General Relativity and Earth's Surface

    Is there something in General Relativity whose value is 9.8 m/s2 at the surface of the Earth?
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