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Theory of relativityFrom Wikipedia, the free
encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
This article is about the scientific concept. For philosophical
or sociological theories about relativity, see Relativism. For
the silent film, see The Einstein Theory of Relativity.

Two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional analogy of spacetime curvature

described in General RelativityThe theory of relativity, or simply relativity,
encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein: special relativity and general
relativity.[1] However, the word relativity is sometimes used in reference to Galilean
invariance.

The term "theory of relativity" was based on the expression "relative theory"
(German: Relativtheorie) used by Max Planck in 1906, who emphasized how the
theory uses the principle of relativity. In the discussion section of the same paper
Alfred Bucherer used for the first time the expression "theory of relativity"
(German: Relativitätstheorie).[2][3]

Contents [hide]
1 Scope
1.1 Two theory view
2 Special relativity
3 General relativity
4 See also
5 References
6 Further reading
7 External links

[edit] ScopeThe theory of relativity enriched physics and astronomy during the 20th
century. When first published, relativity superseded a 200-year-old theory of
mechanics elucidated by Isaac Newton. It changed perceptions.[4][5][6]
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For example, it overturned the concept of motion from Newton's day, into all
motion is relative. Time was no longer uniform and absolute, as related to everyday
experience. Furthermore, no longer could physics be understood as space by itself,
and time by itself. Instead, an added dimension had to be taken into account with
curved spacetime. Time now depended on velocity, and contraction became a
fundamental consequence at appropriate speeds.[4][5][6]

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In the field of microscopic physics, relativity catalyzed and added an essential depth
of knowledge to the science of elementary particles and their fundamental
interactions, along with introducing the nuclear age. With relativity, cosmology and
astrophysics predicted extraordinary astronomical phenomena such as neutron
stars, black holes, and gravitational waves.[4][5][6]

[edit] Two theory viewThe theory of relativity was representative of more than a
single new physical theory. It affected the theories and methodologies across all the
physical sciences. However, as stated above, this is more likely perceived as two
separate theories. There are some related explanations for this. First, special
relativity was published in 1905, and the final form of general relativity was
published in 1916.[4]

Second, special relativity fits with and solves for elementary particles and their
interactions, whereas general relativity solves for the cosmological and astrophysical
realm (including astronomy).[4]

Third, special relativity was widely accepted in the physics community by 1920. This
theory rapidly became a notable and necessary tool for theorists and
experimentalists in the new fields of atomic physics, nuclear physics, and quantum
mechanics. Conversely, general relativity did not appear to be as useful. There had
appeared to be little applicability for experimentalists as most applications were for
astronomical scales. It seemed limited to only making minor corrections to
predictions of Newtonian gravitation theory. Its impact was not apparent until the
1930s.[4]

Finally, the mathematics of general relativity appeared to be incomprehensibly

dense. Consequently, only a small number of people in the world, at that time, could
fully understand the theory in detail. This remained the case for the next 40 years.
Then, at around 1960 a critical resurgence in interest occurred which has resulted in
making general relativity central to physics and astronomy. New mathematical
techniques applicable to the study of general relativity substantially streamlined
calculations. From this, physically discernible concepts were isolated from the
mathematical complexity. Also, the discovery of exotic astronomical phenomena in
which general relativity was crucially relevant, helped to catalyze this resurgence.
The astronomical phenomena included quasars (1963), the 3-kelvin microwave
background radiation (1965), pulsars (1967), and the discovery of the first black
hole candidates (1971).[4]

[edit] Special relativityMain article: Special relativity

USSR stamp dedicated to Albert EinsteinSpecial relativity is a theory of the

structure of spacetime. It was introduced in Albert Einstein's 1905 paper "On the
Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies" (for the contributions of many other physicists
see History of special relativity). Special relativity is based on two postulates which
are contradictory in classical mechanics:
1.The laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion relative to
one another (principle of relativity),
2.The speed of light in a vacuum is the same for all observers, regardless of their
relative motion or of the motion of the source of the light.
The resultant theory agrees with experiment better than classical mechanics, e.g. in
the Michelson-Morley experiment that supports postulate 2, but also has many
surprising consequences. Some of these are:

Relativity of simultaneity: Two events, simultaneous for one observer, may not be
simultaneous for another observer if the observers are in relative motion.
Time dilation: Moving clocks are measured to tick more slowly than an observer's
"stationary" clock.
Length contraction: Objects are measured to be shortened in the direction that they
are moving with respect to the observer.
Mass–energy equivalence: E = mc2, energy and mass are equivalent and
transmutable.
Maximum speed is finite: No physical object or message or field line can travel
faster than light.
The defining feature of special relativity is the replacement of the Galilean
transformations of classical mechanics by the Lorentz transformations. (See
Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism and introduction to special relativity).

[edit] General relativityMain article: General relativity

General relativity is a theory of gravitation developed by Einstein in the years 1907–
1915. The development of general relativity began with the equivalence principle,
under which the states of accelerated motion and being at rest in a gravitational
field (for example when standing on the surface of the Earth) are physically
identical. The upshot of this is that free fall is inertial motion; an object in free fall is
falling because that is how objects move when there is no force being exerted on
them, instead of this being due to the force of gravity as is the case in classical
mechanics. This is incompatible with classical mechanics and special relativity
because in those theories inertially moving objects cannot accelerate with respect to
each other, but objects in free fall do so. To resolve this difficulty Einstein first
proposed that spacetime is curved. In 1915, he devised the Einstein field equations
which relate the curvature of spacetime with the mass, energy, and momentum
within it.

Some of the consequences of general relativity are:

Clocks run more slowly in regions of lower gravitational potential.[7] This is called
gravitational time dilation.
Orbits precess in a way unexpected in Newton's theory of gravity. (This has been
observed in the orbit of Mercury and in binary pulsars).
Rays of light bend in the presence of a gravitational field.
Rotating masses "drag along" the spacetime around them; a phenomenon termed
"frame-dragging".
The Universe is expanding, and the far parts of it are moving away from us faster
than the speed of light.
Technically, general relativity is a metric theory of gravitation whose defining
feature is its use of the Einstein field equations. The solutions of the field equations
are metric tensors which define the topology of the spacetime and how objects move
inertially.

[edit] See also Physics portal

Special relativity references
General relativity references
[edit] References1.^ Einstein A. (1916 (translation 1920)), Relativity: The Special
and General Theory, New York: H. Holt and Company
2.^ Planck, Max (1906), "The Measurements of Kaufmann on the Deflectability of
β-Rays in their Importance for the Dynamics of the Electrons", Physikalische
Zeitschrift 7: 753–761
3.^ Miller, Arthur I. (1981), Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity. Emergence
(1905) and early interpretation (1905–1911), Reading: Addison–Wesley, ISBN 0-
201-04679-2
4.^ a b c d e f g Will, Clifford M (August 1, 2010). "Relativity". Grolier Multimedia
Encyclopedia. http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0244990-0. Retrieved 2010-08-
01.
5.^ a b c Will, Clifford M (August 1, 2010). "Space-Time Continuum". Grolier
Multimedia Encyclopedia. http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0272730-0.
Retrieved 2010-08-01.
6.^ a b c Will, Clifford M (August 1, 2010). "Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction".
Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0107090-
0. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
7.^ Feynman, Richard Phillips; Morínigo, Fernando B.; Wagner, William; Pines,
David; Hatfield, Brian (2002). Feynman Lectures on Gravitation. Westview Press. p.
68. ISBN 0-813-34038-1. http://books.google.be/books?id=jL9reHGIcMgC. , Lecture
5
[edit] Further readingBergmann, Peter G. (1976). Introduction to the Theory of
Relativity. Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-63282-2.
[edit] External links Wikisource has original works on the topic:
Relativity
Look up theory of relativity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Theory of relativity
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Relativity: The Special and General Theory

Theory of relativity at the Open Directory Project